Tactician of Zero
by OminousLatin
Summary: After the defeat of the Fell Dragon, Grima, Robin's mind drifted into nothingness. All of a sudden she finds herself in a new land, summoned as a familiar by a young girl. Will she find a way to return back to her friends and her husband, Chrom? ZnT FE:Awakening Xover. Sacrifice ending female Robin married to Chrom. M for safety. **Warning: contains spoilers!**
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Familiar of Zero or the Fire Emblem Series. This is merely a work of fan fiction - for fun only! All characters belong to their respective owners!

* * *

The giant monstrosity, known as Grima the Fell Dragon, was now weakened and vulnerable. After doing battle against the heroes who fought to stop him, he was now exhausted, retreat impossible, he was now at the mercy of the ones he once called weaklings.

The heroes, who hailed from various kingdoms, united to stop the Fell Dragon, led by none other than Chrom, the descendant of the one who put him to sleep a thousand years ago, and also the rightful ruler of the kingdom of Ylisse, characterized by striking blue hair and the Mark of the Exalt - an emblem of royalty and proof of his lineage.

Though they may have bested him, Grima laughed at the heroes...  
**_"This isn't over you puny insects! You cannot kill me! I shall return one day and destroy your children! Your victory here is meaningless! AHAHAHAHA!"_**

The only way for the Fell Dragon to experience a true death was if he would kill himself. Using the artifact known as the Fire Emblem, he would be sealed for another thousand years, after which he would return. However...

_"...I don't think so. This ends here and now!"  
_A young woman with long brown hair with a single braid at the front, dressed in a regal cloak, befitting of her title as royal tactician, confronts the Fell Dragon.  
Her name is Robin, the one whose fate is linked with the demon.  
_"This is the one time I was glad we were linked. Only I can destroy you permanently Grima!"_  
The woman's resolute declaration strikes fear into the dragon.

**_"...But CAN you? If you destroy me, you destroy yourself as well!"_**  
Grima mocks the woman, as to shake her resolve.

_"As long as I can protect this world from you, I'd gladly lay down my life!"_  
Casting a spell, the woman is ready to end the battle.

**_"Robin no! Don't do it! We still need you! Me, Lucina and Morgan still need you!"_**  
Chrom desperately shouts to the woman, trying to convince her to come back to her family.

_"I'm sorry Chrom, I cannot entrust our problems to our children's children. If I can finally end this cycle of destruction, then I will, even at the cost of my life."_

_**"NOOOOOO! GRUAAAGHHHHH!"**_

The woman launches her spell at the Fell Dragon. With a colossal explosion, the Fell Dragon's head is obliterated, it's body scattering to dust as it falls.

Robin turns around to face Chrom, her friend, her exalt and her husband, with a gentle smile on her face. She notices that the Fell Dragon gone, she starts to fade into nothingness as well.

Chrom runs into his wife, embracing her fading body tightly.  
_"Why did it have to end like this?!"_  
Chrom could barely control his tears as the love of his life inevitably fades into nothing.

_"Chrom, remember what Naga the Divine Dragon said...if you and our friends wish it hard enough, I can return. I did this knowing that, because I believe in all of you...most of all because I believe in you...because I love you.."_  
The fading woman fights back her tears as she tells her lover.

And in a brief moment that felt like an eternity, the woman known as Robin, the Tactician of Ylisse and the wife of the exalt disappeared from Chrom's arms, now on his knees weeping for the loss of his love.

—

_"My beautiful and noble familiar who exists somewhere in the universe, heed my call! I beseech you to answer my call and lend me your powers!"  
_A small young girl with long pink hair chants out loud, as she chants the summon familiar spell.

It is springtime in the kingdom of Tristain in the land of Halkeginia, and the summon familiar ritual was one of the most ancient and sacred rites of a magician and a noble. The ritual was held within the grounds of the Tristain Magic Academy, the most prestigious of all academies in Halkeginia, taking only but the highest ranking and wealthiest noble youths in the land. The summoning ritual had been going on throughout the day, and one Louise Françoise Le Blanc de la Vallière was the last of the students to perform it. All manners of creatures were summoned, from something more common and mundane as frogs and birds to something fantastic and unique like a rhyme dragon which one of the more gifted students summoned.

For Louise, this was a do or die situation. If she were not able to summon a familiar, then she would be considered a failure as a magician and a noble, and also a failure to her family.  
This worried her because every attempt of hers at casting a spell always ended up an explosion without fail. She was mockingly called "Louise the Zero"  
by her peers as a result. This insulted her greatly, she was a proud Vallière, one of the most renowned families in Tristain.

Jean Colbert, a balding man around his late fourties who wore glasses and carried a staff and wore blue teacher's robes, acted as the supervising teacher of the summoning, secretly prayed for the success of the pinkette. No matter the results of her spellcasting, she was an eager and hardworking student to excelled at theoretical studies. He stood behind the pinkette and watched her perform the ritual.

Meanwhile, a tall busty red-head with dark skin by the name of Kirche Von Zerbst - Louise's classmate and rival, and her friend, a short girl with blue hair and glasses who was half-reading a book watched on.

_"Oh I wonder what kind of familiar the zero would summon? A rock? Hahaha! What do you think Tabitha?"_  
The red-head talks to her small blue haired friend known as Tabitha.

_"Don't know"_  
Tabitha replies. She always talked in short sentences and was always reading books no matter when or where.

The two had already summoned their familiars, Kirche summoned a fire lizard while Tabitha had the most awe inspiring one - a blue rhyme dragon - that is until Louise...

As Louise finishes casting the spell, a massive burst of light covered the area, then an explosion. Louise frantically tries to blow away the smoke and dust with her cape to finally see what kind of familiar she summoned. She would soon experience the shock of her life. Lying on the ground, a young woman around her early twenties with brown hair and an unfamiliar but regal looking cloak lay unconscious on the ground.

_"Who in the founder did I summon?..."_  
She wonders but suddenly goes into a panic.  
_"Sh...sh...she looks like a noble! I forcefully summoned a noble as my familiar?! Mother would KILL me!"_  
She falls to her knees, in terror of the repercussions of her actions.  
"At the very least I need to make sure I didn't KILL her!" She tells herself as she crawls near the unknown woman, observing her.  
The woman was still breathing, and she seems to be unscathed. Louise silently thanks the founder for showing her at least some mercy.

As the smoke clears, Professor Colbert inspects the unconscious woman and his flustered student.  
_"Miss Vallière...are you fine?"_  
The Professor asks the pinkette as gentle as his voice could go.  
The pinkette merely nods quietly without a word.

_"This is...oh founder, a human familiar? I've never seen this kind of summoning in all my life..." Colbert tells himself under his breath, still in deep thought. "What could this mean?..."_  
Regardless, Colbert wanted to ensure the safety of the woman first.  
_"You there! Please call the nurse here quickly!"_ He orders two students, while he takes off his cloak and puts it over the woman like a blanket.

Louise could not handle the shock of her summoning, fearing for the grave consequences of forcefully summoning - no - kidnapping a noble from her home as a familiar? The pinkette blacks out suddenly, beside the woman.

_"Miss Vallière!..."_  
Was all that she could hear from her teacher, worrying for her safety, before she passes out.

* * *

Louise suddenly finds herself in a small peasant village.  
_"Whaaaa...? How did I get here? Professor? And why am I wearing peasant clothes? Yuck!"_  
She frowns in disgust as she notices she was wearing commoner clothes. She sees a commoner in front of her, strangely staring at the sky.  
_"Hey you! Commoner! Where am I? What is this place?"_  
No answer, as if the man just ignored her.  
_"Commoner! You face me when I address you or I will have you locked up in a dun...geon..."_

The pinkette's outrage slowly turns into wonder as she sees what the man was staring at. In the sky, giant magical sigils appeared. She did not recognise these sigils in any of her books or studies.  
In the middle of these sigils, much to her and the man's horror, human-like warriors fell through, landing face down on the ground a couple of meters away from her. As the got up, she looked at their eyes and fear possessed her.  
Their eyes were glowing dark purple! They were snarling like wild animals! These...things weren't warriors or even human..they looked more like...demons!

_**"AAAAHHHHH! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"**_  
The man in front of her started screaming and running away. Commoners were all panicking, trying to get away from the creatures, but were intercepted and mercilessly cut down.

_"Where are the soldiers?! Where are the guards?! You commoners stop panicking and get the town guards!"_  
Louise tries to order the commoners but none even look at her.  
_"Tch! Looks like I'll have to teach these creatures to learn their place!"_  
She reaches for her wand but...nothing.  
_"Where did my wand go?!"_  
She frantically searches for her wand in and around her commoner clothing, but it just wasn't there  
_"NO! Where is it?!"_  
She starts shouting in frustration, until a big, dark shadow looms over her. She slowly turns her eyes on the source and her eyes start tearing up in horror. One of those...creatures was in front of her, with an axe above it's head, ready to take her life with it.  
_"**No...no...nonono!** Founder please save me! Anyone! Professor! Mother!"_  
The pinkette starts sobbing uncontrollably in front of her impending demise. And in an instant, the creature brings it's axe down, a merciless and uncaring look in it's face.

* * *

**_"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!"_**  
Louise starts screaming, but quickly composes herself and looks around. She was in the school's infirmary.

_"I remember...I performed the summoning ritual...then I summoned an unknown noble woman!"_  
She looks to the bed to her left, it was her, still unconscious. The nurses took her regal looking cloak away, and curiously she was wearing what looks like...commoner clothing. She looked at her face, the woman was probably older than her by just around 3 or 4 years, as old as a full graduate of the academy. She had straight long brown hair with a single braid in front of her face. Her skin was milky white, comparable to hers.  
She then suddenly remembers her dream, as she feels cold sweat and nausea once more.

_"Oh Miss Vallière are you alright?! We heard you scream!"_  
One of the nurses, a stout one, burst in.

_"Oh I'm... fine nurse"_  
She says, finally being able to calm herself down.

_"Thank the founder! Everyone was so worried about you. Tabitha, Miss Zerbst and Professor Colbert came to visit you not long ago."_

She was happy that the professor came to visit her. He was her favourite teacher, because he did not judge her for her failings and was very considerate. But why was Kirche here? Probably because if she lost her she'd have no one to make fun of anymore. Tabitha hung around with Kirche all the time but always kept to herself reading books. She also never mocked nor made fun of her, so Louise was thankful to her just for that.  
Louise got up from the infirmary bed, sparing a glance at the woman one more time, she got on her feet and was surprised to hear a gasp!  
The woman she summoned sat up slowly on her bed, looking around the infirmary until her blue eyes met Louise's.

* * *

Robin was confused. How did she end up in an infirmary?  
Noticing the peaceful, bright sunlight and the birds chirping softly outside the window, she knows that Grima was gone once and for all.  
She slowly sat upright on her bed and scanned the room, until her eyes met a young girl's who had peculiar pink eye colour and long pink hair. She warmly smiled and greeted the girl.  
_"Hello there, might I know where am I?"_  
She says in a gentle voice.

The pinkette however, stared at her like she was a ghost.  
_"Oh uhm, I'm sorry, did I offend you in any way?"_  
Robin tells the pinkette apologetically, thinking she might have done something to offend her.

The pinkette snaps out of her daze, gets up and curtsies in front of her.  
_"My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière, daughter of Karin de la Vallière, proud noble of Tristain and a student of Tristain Magical Academy. You are inside the infirmary of the Academy. And...I apologise for summoning you here without your permission. Please...tell me what should I do to earn your forgiveness."_  
The pinkette says as apologetically as she could.

The nurse leaves the room and closes the door, sending that the two women needed some privacy.

_"...oh uhm, it's fine, you didn't do anything for you to earn my forgiveness!"_  
Robin says , as she gives a gentle chuckle at such a polite and earnest young girl.  
_"But I'm not familiar with Tristain...is it a city or a town?"_  
Robin inquires about her location. She had been to just about every corner of Ylisse, Ragna Ferox, Plegia, and Valm, but never has she heard of a town called Tristain. How far is it from Ylisstol?  
Hoping to finally reunite with Chrom, Lucina, Morgan and all of her friends and comrades, she instead receives a puzzled look from the pinkette.

_"The Kingdom of Tristain is a nation, are you sure you're well miss...?"_  
The pinkette now showing a look of concern.

_"Oh my, forgive me, I have not told you my name. My name is Robin, Royal Tactician of Ylisse, and...wife to Chrom the Exalt."_  
Robin remembers her farewells with Chrom, like it just happened a minute ago.

Louise's jaw dropped. A royal tactician? Most importantly, she was ROYALTY?  
But Ylisse was unknown to her. Louise prided herself in her academic knowledge, but this place was unknown to her, let alone it's royalty.

_"Ahh it is good to see both of you up and well."_  
Professor Colbert's timing was perfect. He came to see how they were faring and was glad to see them well enough to converse.  
_"Pardon my manners, I am Jean Colbert, a professor here in the academy, it is my pleasure to meet you"_

_"The pleasure is all mine professor, you can just call me Robin. Robin of Ylisse"_

The professor warmly smiled at the young woman. But paused to think of "Ylisse". He has been to all the corners of the land and has never heard of a place called Ylisse.  
The professor turns to face Louise.  
_"The Headmaster would like to discuss the events of your summoning Miss Vallière, are you well enough to go?"_

_"Uhm, yes professor, I shall head there immediately."_

_"And..."_  
The professor turns to Robin.  
_"He would also like to personally greet you to this academy Miss Robin. If you are well enough yourself, that is."_

_"Yes, I think that would be most prudent Professor Colbert"_  
Robin stood up and picked her Grandmaster robe up from the nearby chair, wearing it over her. The robe reminded her of the Shepherds, and Ylisse. After Plegia's invasion of Ylisse was thwarted, she had her old robe modified, giving a more regal look, befitting her status.  
_"Louise, shall we go see the headmaster?"_  
Robin politely asks the pinkette.

_"Yes, let's go Miss Robin"_

_"You don't have to be so formal Louise, please just call me Robin."_  
Robin tells the pinkette with a small chuckle.

The three started walking through the hallways of the academy, towards the headmaster's chambers. Reaching the end of a hallway stood a great door. The great imposing door meant this was the headmaster's quarters. As Colbert opens the doors, an old bearded man sat behind a great wooden desk. Beside him was a green-haired woman with glasses who wore a black cloak. The old man was Headmaster Osmond, and the woman was his secretary, Miss Longueville.

_"Welcome! Welcome Miss Vallière, please make yourself comfortable."_  
The old man speaks, directing Louise to a chair in front of him. The old man was patting his familiar, a small white mouse.  
_"Ahhh welcome to the Tristain Academy of Magic! I Believe we have not met, I am the headmaster of this academy. Please just call me Osmond."_He lets his familiar down onto the ground and scurries away.

_"It is a pleasure to meet you Sir Osmond. I am Robin, Royal Tactician of Ylisse, wife to Chrom the Exalt."_  
She repeats her introduction to Louise.

After a lengthy discussion with the headmaster, both sides were shocked of what they learned. Robin and Osmond both deduced that Robin had come from another world, and that Louise had summoned her here somehow.  
Louise could not believe it. She summoned someone from another world. Where did she go wrong? And more importantly, how could she send her back?

_"Louise, since you summoned me to be your familiar, then I should just honour the pact, at least for now."_  
Robin tells Louise as she snaps out of deep thought.

_"I agree, this is most unusual but the fact still stands that you summoned Miss Robin here as your familiar. You should seal the contract."_  
The headmaster adds.

_"...alright."_  
Louise replies with a deep sigh. Since Robin had consented to it, she would do it.  
_"My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière. Pentagon of the five elements, bless this individual who I am to call my familiar."_  
Louise then kisses Robin on the lips. The act afterwards greatly flusters both of them.  
Robin suddenly felt a surge of magic within her, and a sudden searing sensation on her right hand. Looking at it, strange runes burn themselves on the back of her hand.

_"Interesting...I have never seen familiar runes like this before..."_  
Colbert noted as he examines the runes.

Osmond was equally puzzled, with vast amounts of knowledge behind him, he has never before seen these kinds of runes, nor dies he recognise them.  
_"Well, I think we should leave the question of Miss Robin's familiar runes for another day."_  
As Osmond stands up from his chair to look out his window.  
_"And since Miss Robin is now your familiar, she should sleep in your room Louise. It's been a long day for both of you."_  
The old headmaster added.

Louise at least was thankful that this didn't escalate into an international crisis.  
_"Please follow me to my room Robin, I'll have the maids prepare dinner for us there."_  
Louise asks Robin with a smile on her face.

_"Alright, after you Louise"_  
Robin lets the pinkette out the door first.

_"Headmaster, I should go look further into the matter of Miss Robin's runes"_  
Colbert tells the headmaster as he heads out.

_"I need to get some paperwork done headmaster, I'll be outside at my desk if you need me"_  
Longueville tells the headmaster as she too heads for the door, closing it behind her.

Letting out a long heavy sigh, then a chuckle, Osmond picks up his little mouse familiar.  
_"What do you have for me ChuChu? Ohh little miss Vallière was wearing pink today i see, oh and miss Longueville's was white...oh how about miss Robin's?...Pure white?! Ohohoho!"_  
Osmond's perversion was unknown to anyone but Longueville, and it seems that the old man got lucky today as she had not noticed.

* * *

Back in Louise's room, the two girls had just finished having dinner. Robin noticed that one of the maids looked different with black hair. She merely nodded to the maid as a gesture of thanks and got a smile in return.

_"So Louise...how long have you been studying in this academy?"_  
Robin asks her master, to get along better with her

_"I've only started this year, I've been here for 4 months. Although my classmates have already reached dot or line class, I have yet to cast a single successful spell other than explosion..."_  
Louise sinks slightly into her chair feeling depressed.

Robin sees that she might have tread on a sensitive topic , so she decides to steer the conversation in another direction and to date her curiosity.  
_"Louise, can you explain the dot and line mage classifications to me?"_

_"Uhm yes, my pleasure"_  
As she shoots back up her chair.  
_"Mages are classified as dot, line, triangle and square. Each mage starts out being a dot mage, being able to cast one element. Line mages are able to channel two at once, it does not necessarily have to be two different elements, a line mage could only be able to channel fire but apply it twice to make it more powerful, so spells that use two fire elements is a line class fire spell. Triangle classes are usually the seniors and the same condition applies to them. The best if the best, such as the headmaster are square mages, who can channel four elements at once, and they are a rarity."_  
Louise concludes her explanation, but Robin remembers the summoning ritual, that she mentions a pentagon.

_"Louise, you mentioned a pentagon in it, is that another class?"_

Louise once again prepares to answer.  
_"Pentagram mages are even rarer than square, they are said to be gifted by Brimir himself with his powers. Pentagram mages have access to the fifth element, void magic, the most mysterious and most powerful element, said to enable someone to defeat entire armies, and also obtain powerful familiars, though not much is known if them as there has not been any in centuries."_

Robin tries to classify herself, she could cast fire, water/ice, wind, lightning and all their variations. Based on the facts, she should be a triangle at least and a square at most.

Louise continues on  
_"All nobility are mages, unless those mages are disowned by their families. Non-magic users are commoners who serve us, and in return we defend them"_

Robin was shocked to hear this. Class discrimination against non magic users? She decides to drop it however, she was in a different world, she should not judge their actions, but it was still a farcry to Chrom, who treated both nobles and commoners equally with respect.  
_"Ah I see, thank you for the explanation Louise, and for the food and the room"_

There was only one big bed in the room, enough to fit in around six Louises comfortably so Louise offered Robin to sleep in the same bed with her.  
Robin did not mind though.

_"I should go to bed, I've still got class tomorrow"_ she tells Robin as she gets prepared to change into her sleepwear.

_"I still feel a bit full, I think I'll go on a walk around the school grounds"_  
She leaves her majestic looking robe behind on the chair, wearing a brown shirt with dark brown pants, as she gives one more smile to Louise before slipping out the door.  
_"Good night Louise"_  
She says as she closes the door.

After changing into her sleepwear, Louise lies down and faces Robin's coat.  
_"I wonder what kind of life she had before coming here?" _  
She asks herself.  
_"Did she have loved ones back home? Did I forcefully take her away from them?"_  
Louise decided to stop thinking about it, with a frown, and started to sleep.

_  
**Author's notes**  
I'm still new to fanfic writing and this is my first xover fanfic. I loved both ZnT and FE, and I thought that they'd go well together.  
If you've played FE:Awakening, this Robin comes from the sacrifice ending.  
I'd appreciate comments and suggestions since I have never wrote fanfic before and I want to improve.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Familiar of Zero or the Fire Emblem Series. This is merely a work of fan fiction - for fun only! All characters belong to their respective owners!

* * *

After staring at Robin's robe for a couple more minutes, Louise soundly falls asleep and dreams once again, experiencing the continuation of her last dream.

_**"AAAAAHHHH! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"  
**_Commoners ran in all directions, some managed to reach the forests to hide, some unfortunate ones were cut down by axes and swords.  
Brave souls who tried to fight back with makeshift weapons only managed to slow the monsters down. It took around 6 or 7 commoners to actually vanquish one, but the odds were just too overwhelming, the monsters were fueled by pure malice and seemed to ignore bodily injuries.  
As Louise closed her eyes, ready to recieve her impending doom, the monster stopped, dropping it's axe beside her.

_**"GRAWRrrr..."**_

Louise notices a sword jutting out of the monster's chest, killing it. Louise moved to the side as the monster's body slid away from the sword and dissolved into a black and purple mist.  
Louise looked up at her saviour, a tall young man with striking blue hair scanned the area. He had a magnificent muscular physique and was quite handsome.

**_"SHEPHERDS! MOVE OUT AND ROUT THESE BASTARDS!"  
"HEALERS GIVE AID TO THE WOUNDED!  
_**The young man ordered his group, known as the "Shepherds" to save the townspeople. The Shepherds were well armed and trained, something that Louise had only seen from Tristain's soldiers, as she sometimes saw them with her mother. The young man had the air of nobility in him, but saw his comrades as equals as he gave out orders, a peculiar sight for Louise.

_"Are you hurt miss?"  
_The young man kneels down, offering a hand to help her up.  
Louise takes his hand and stands up, she makes eye contact with the man's sky blue eyes and blushes.

_"...T-t-thank you sir, I owe you my life. I thought I was about to be killed by that fiend"  
_Sounding as grateful as she could, as she wipes the tears off her eyes.  
The young man gives her a warm smile, assuring her once again that she is now safe.

A knight on horseback gallops over to the young man. The knight was around 30 or so years old, was clean shaven and had brown hair. Louise could classify him as a stereotypical knight veteran.  
_"My Lord ! We've found the leader of these monsters! It's over the mill and it's giving us trouble!"  
_The knight gives his urgent report to the young man.

_"Alright! I'll take care of the big guy!"  
_He whistles and a white steed comes galloping to him.  
The young man turns around to Louise one last time.

_"Stay here with our healers miss, you will be safe here, I promise you."  
_He gets on his horse and is about to leave for more battle

_"May I know your name noble sir?"  
_Louise asks, wanting to know the name if her saviour.

_"Chrom. My name is Chrom"  
_The young man replies with a gentle smile.  
_"I wish you good health miss."  
_The young man and the knight ride off, Louise watching them off, wishing for their success...

* * *

Robin was impressed by the academy's size. Although not as big as one, it certainly felt the cosiness of a castle. She recalls those lazy sleepless nights in Ylisstol in the castle. She and Chrom, and sometimes other Shepherds would take a walk around the castle, telling silly stories and jokes. How she missed everyone...  
Walking around a corner, she heard voices. Peeking over at a corner, she saw a flamboyant looking boy with a rose talking to a girl with blonde curls.

_"Oh Monmon! There is no one else in this world for me but you! You are like a beautiful rose that blooms amid the wasteland that is life!"_

Listening carefully, she could make out the boy's attempts at wooing the girl.  
_"Pfffffffhaha...haha!, I can't believe I've just seen this world's equivalent of Virion!"  
_She recalls one of her comrades, a flirtatious and flamboyant playboy who hit on every woman he met, Robin included!  
Robin continued to eavesdrop on the couple, numerous times she rolled her eyes around at some of the corniest pick up lines she has ever heard. The curly blonde seemed to share her sentiments at times, but seemed genuinely fond of the boy.

A group of three boys came from the opposite side of the hallway. The one on the left had short red hair and a lanky build, the one on the right had brown hair and was chubby, the middle one had blonde hair with a cowlick. The one in the middle seemed to be the leader of the group. They wore different clothing from the couple and looked older, so Robin deduced that they were seniors. They focused their attention on the couple.

_"Oi Grammont, what did I tell you about hitting on my Montmorency huh?!"  
_The older blonde picked up the younger one up by the collar.

_"I don't think this little twerp gets it Kennard! Punch his face in!"  
_The lanky red head reveals the name of the older blonde, egging his friend on to bully the younger blonde.

_"Nah Franco, you're being too nice! Cover him in mud and stick feathers on him! That'll teach him!"  
_The fat brown-haired boy replies to the lanky red head, revealing his name.

_"Hah good idea Dean! But I think I'll do both!"  
_Kennard reveals the name of his fat friend.

_"Stop it Kennard! I've already told you that you aren't my type! Put Guiche down!"  
_The blonde girl was now furious at the trio's interference and bullying.

_"Sir Kennard! Please leave us in peace! It is unbecoming of a gentleman to make a woman mad!"  
_The younger blonde known as Guiche Grammont tries to shoo away the trio but to no avail.  
Kennard's eyes narrowed at Guiche for his protest and slammed him into the ground.

**_"GWAH!"  
_**Guiche gives out a loud grunt as he hit the hard stone floor!

_"Guiche!"  
_Montmorency yells out as Guiche hits the floor, becoming dazed. She tries to go to his side but Kennard grabs her arm and forcefully embraces her.  
_"Ack!...let go of me you brute!"  
_She tries to struggle free but is no match for Kennard's size and strength.

_"How bout a kiss my dear? Hehehe."  
_Kennard then attempts to kiss Monmon, who is now crying. Suddenly...

**_"Hrraaahhh!..."  
_**Guiche manages to compose himself once more and shoves Kennard away from Monmon.  
Panting heavily, Guiche glares at Kennard.  
_"Leave her alone you barbarian! How dare you make Monmon cry!"  
_Guiche makes it clear that he cannot forgive the one who made his love cry.

Kennard merely brushes it off and grins.  
_"I'm gonna make you regret doing that punk. __**BOYS**__!"  
_He orders his two companions. Dean restrains Monmon and covers her mouth to stop her from calling out for help.

_"Monmon! Unhand her!...huh?!"  
_Guiche tells Dean to unhand her but gets caught off guard, as Franco grabs him from behind, restraining him.

Kennard approaches the restrained Guiche and slams his fist to his palm.  
_"A couple of broken teeth should teach you to know your place Grammont! Maybe a broken nose for good measure!"  
_Kennard taunts Guiche as Monmon, powerless to do anything, cries as she watches helplessly.

_"Oh this has gone far enough!"  
_The sight of the three bullies ganging up on the couple infuriates Robin as she decides to intervene.  
_"Hey you! Stop that at once or I'll make you regret it!"_

Kennard was about to punch Guiche but suddenly heard the voice from afar. Thinking the voice was from a teacher, the trio fled and left the dazed couple.

_"Are you two alright?"  
_Robin asks them as she tries to console Monmon and helps Guiche up.

_"Thank you very much miss"  
_Monmon, who stopped sobbing, thanks their saviour.

_"Thank you for saving us beautiful miss, those barbarians resort to cowardly tactics to win."  
_Guiche thanks the woman who had just saved them.

_"Don't mention it you two, just be more careful at this time of night, maybe find some place more private."  
_She gives them advice as she starts walking down the hallway once more, waving at them.

_"She seems familiar..."  
_Guiche tries to remember her but can't. He remembers the bullies once more.  
_"I have to beat Kennard in a duel, if I can't, he'll never leave me and Monmon alone."  
_He tells himself, strengthening his resolve.

* * *

Robin finds herself outside, admiring the flowers. They were colourful and pretty, much like those from Ylisse during spring.  
As she steps closer to sniff the flowers, she notices a maid approaching her.

_"Good evening miss Robin, I see you took a shine to our flower beds"  
_The well endowed maid with short black hair, Robin remembers her as one of the maids who brought her and Louise dinner.

_"Ah I remember you, but I didn't get your name. Thank you for bringing us dinner earlier."  
_Robin politely thanks the maid, and asks her name.

_"My name is Siesta, I work as a maid in the academy, a pleasure to talk to you my lady."_

_"Please, just call me Robin, and the feeling is mutual"_

_"Pardon me, but are you Miss Vallière's guest? I have not seen you before and you don't wear the students' uniform. I've never even seen you in town either, do you come from another town or possibly even out of Tristain?."  
_The maid asks out of curiosity. She frequented the nearby town during her breaks and when she needed to get supplies. She had a knack for remembering faces, and with that she could tell if someone was new.

_"Oh, I'm supposed to be her familiar, and I came from a very very far away place..."_

Looking at Robin, Siesta thought she was a commoner at first glance without her robe. Wearing just a simple brown shirt and a black skirt, she looked like a typical commoner. Although Siesta noted her demeanor around nobles was different to hers, Siesta was polite to them yes but she knew she served them. However Robin was different, in that she talked to them like equals, an act Siesta would regret if she attempted it, but dreamt of doing.  
_"Are you really a noble Robin?"  
_Siesta finally finds the courage to ask her.

_"Hahaha..."  
_Robin chuckles a bit.  
_"You could say that, I'm married to nobility, and I'm a tactician working for my kingdom"_

Siesta frowns, she thought she could relate to Robin, but she probably led a life of luxury too, much like any other noble.  
_"Oh...it must be nice living such a life, us commoners are just so unfortunate..."_

_"Siesta...where I come from though... Nobles and commoners are treated as equals."  
_Robin's statement shocked Siesta. A land where commoners and nobles were equals? No it can't be true.

_"I bet you're just saying that to make me feel better Robin"  
_She goes back to her sad tone.

_"Siesta...it's true, how else could I talk to you like this? To talk to you like you were my equal? A friend, even though I just met you"_

Siesta was surprised at this revelation, no noble has talked to her like this before, to try and make her genuinely happy, to care about her feelings. She suddenly felt a bit ashamed at Robin.  
_"I...I'm sorry I doubted your words Robin, you ARE unlinke any kind of noble I've ever met."  
_Siesta apologises to her new friend for not believing her.

_"It's okay Siesta...maybe someday, the nobles here would acknowledge commoners and treat them as equals. Without them, who would plough the fields? Raise farm animals and hunt for food? Who would feed two lazy ladies in the middle of the night?!"  
_Robin jokingly replies to her new friend as they admire the flowers and laugh together.

_"Wait, what's that commotion over there? I thought all the students were asleep at this time."  
_Robin asks Siesta, pointing to the crowd forming a couple of yards away from them.

_"Yes, they have classes tomorrow, they're all supposed to be asleep,unless...a duel.."  
_Siesta now focusing her sight on the crowd.  
_"I've seen it happen before, and I've seen people get badly hurt."_

_"Not on my watch!"  
_Robin starts walking towards the crowd.  
_"These kids, seriously! Ricken nor Donny were never this eager to get hurt!"_

* * *

_"You must've hit your head pretty hard to challenge me to a duel Grammont!"  
_Kennard mocks Guiche as they both get ready. Guiche unsheathes his rose wand as Kennard points his metallic wand at Guiche.

_"Brutes like you will never learn to leave innocents alone unless you get shown your place!"  
_Filled with anger, remembering the sight of Monmon crying, he insults Kennard.

The other two bullies, Dean and Franco were behind Kennard cheering their friend on to pummel Guiche.  
Guiche's friends and Montmorency stood behind him, cheering him on.

_"My name is Guiche the Bronze and I challenge you, Sir Kennard to a duel!"_

_"My name is Kennard of steel! Prepare yourself!"_

As the two finish their formalities, Guiche takes the initiative and summons a golem of bronze known as a bronze Valkyrie.  
Guiche orders it to attack Kennard with it's sword however...

Kennard counters by summoning his own construct.

Guiche's magic enabled him to make constructs out of bronze, however Kennard's magic enabled him to create constructs out of steel - a metal even harder than bronze! Although steel was harder to manipulate, so Kennard could only summon one at a time.

Kennard orders his massive "steel centurion" to cut down Guiche's Valkyrie and succeeds.

Unfazed, Guiche four more Valkyries and commands them to attack head on, only to be wiped out again, the steel centurion merely being scratched.  
Guiche had the advantage of numbers, but Kennard's steel centurion was too powerful to be overwhelmed with numbers.

* * *

Robin came here to stop the duel, but instead came to a conclusion that the only way this could end positively is for Guiche to win. She remembers Guiche and the bullies from before, and that the only way to get rid of bullies is to stand up against them, much like what Gangrel and Plegia had done to Ylisse. She weaves through the crowd trying to get to Guiche's side to give him advice...

* * *

4,5,6,7 Valkyries at a time, all decimated by the centurion. Things looked bleak for Guiche, but his friends still cheered him on. Summoning 8 more valkyries, he once again orders them to attack - and get destroyed. As the 8th Valkyrie gets destroyed he is sent flying to the crowd. As he tries to get up, he hears a familiar voice...

* * *

Robin finally manages to get through and reach Guiche as he lands near her.  
Battles are not won by brute force but by cunning strategy, as she is about to show him.

_"Guiche! If you want to win listen to me!"  
_Robin whispers to Guiche, as Kennard is still showing off.

_"You can't win a head on battle, but you can win this duel!"  
_Robin whispers her strategy to Guiche, and with nothing to lose, he nods at her plan.

* * *

Guiche, nearing his limit, summoned 10 Valkyries at once.

_"You don't get it do you?! HAHAHA!"  
_Kennard once again mocking Guiche.

However, this time Guiche had a plan.  
Instead of sending his Valkyries for another ill-fated head on attack, he sends 2 valkyries north, 2 south, 2 east, and 2 west of the steel construct. One he put in front of himself, the final one behind him.

He orders the eight surrounding Valkyries to attack, the giant steel soldier finding it hard to swat them all at once as they alternated on attacking at different sides and retreated as it tried to counter attack. The 8 Valkyries were still intact after 10 more minutes, they lasted ten times longer than their previous comrades!

Kennard however was getting annoyed at this delaying tactic, Guiche could still not be able to overcome his might centurion. Using up a great deal of magic, he makes his centurion even more powerful, multiplying its arms from two to eight, and enlarging it's maces.  
_"How's **THIS** Grammont!?"  
_  
Breathing heavily himself now, his empowered centurion swats all eight of Guiche's Valkyries, all were still intact but were downed. All of a sudden, Guiche's ninth Valkyrie charges at Kennard at full speed, taking advantage of the preoccupied centurion.  
_"DAMN IT!"  
_Kennard, now sweating profusely, attempts to order his centurion to attack the Valkyrie. Will Kennard's centurion stop the Valkyrie or will the Valkyrie vanquish Kennard?

The answer was the former. Merely inches away from Kennard, the Valkyrie was knicked by the centurions mace, sending it stumbling a couple of metres away from Kennard, unable to stand.

_"...ahaha...AHAHA...! I win Grammont! You LO..!"_

**_*THUD*_**

Kennard falls to the ground unconscious. A bronze Valkyrie behind him the culprit. The crowd was speechless, Kennard's supporters were dumbstruck at what happened.  
And then Guiche's friends broke the silence and cheered loudly. Guiche had won!

* * *

In Guiche's side, Monmon was accompanied by two other females, Kirche and Tabitha. Guiche may be a playboy, but he wasn't a brute like Kennard, so they cheered for Guiche, aside from the fact that their friend Monmon was fond of him.

_"Wow... Guiche somehow won...and he looked kind of cool there!"  
_Kirche now had a better opinion of Guiche. Not only did he beat Kennard, he did so laying down his pride for the sake of Monmon.

Tabitha however was just reading one of her books during the duel, that is until Guiche started fighting smartly instead of just commanding head on attacks.  
She also noticed a lady that wore commoner clothing, whispering something to Guiche earlier. She recognises her as the noble Louise summoned.

_"Louise's Familiar"  
_She tells her friend Kirche, gasping as she finds out from her friend.

_"Oh wow, you're right, it's her! What's she doing here?"_

_"Gave Guiche...advice"  
_She deduced this after Guiche suddenly went from hopeless lunk-head to a strategist after she talked to him.

Guiche, exhausted, sat down on the ground, giving a smile to Monmon.  
A young woman approached him and offered him her hand up.

_"Well done Guiche Grammont, that was impressive"_

Guiche recognises the voice from earlier, it was her that enabled him to win!  
_"I cannot thank you enough my lady, that was a strategy befitting of a general!"_

The woman merely smiles at him as if to congratulate him.  
_"Remember Guiche, in war if you cannot beat an overwhelmingly powerful army, you go for it's weakness, it's head. This option also leads to the least casualties."  
_Robin remembers the battle against Walhart and Valm, where a strategic gambit paid off to ensure victory against insurmountable odds. The relation was rather uncanny.

Guiche notices all 10 of his Valkyries were battered but still intact as he just notices.

* * *

After years of studying military tactics, Robin was considered a prodigy among tacticians. She could form strategies on the go, even in the heat of battle provided she had ample communication.

The aim of the duel was to knock out the duelist, not defeat the golems. Using the 8 Valkyries, Kennard became frustrated at being stopped by a force inferior to his and poured more magic into his construct, taking his mind off his sorroundings. As he did this, he overcame the 8 Valkyries, however he was briefly left open, letting the 9th Valkyrie perform a desperate attack. Because of the centurion's reach however, the attack only stood a 50-50 chance to succeed. If that failed, Guiche's secret trump card would ensure victory. The 10th Valkyrie, the one behind him, tunneled underground. Kennard could not see this as it was behind Guiche and the 9th Valkyrie. It needed time to reach an ample distance to reach Kennard.  
Kennard however, is also an earth mage, he would most likely sense it coming unless he was distracted enough. The 9th valkyrie's 50-50 desperation attack was enough to numb all his senses and concentrate on the desperate attack, as the 10th Valkyrie sneaks behind him underground. The centurion smashing the 9th valkyrie away further ensured the deception. The loud sound of steel hitting bronze generated as the centurion hit the valkyrie masked the sounds of the tunnelling valkyrie, letting it slip past.

Guiche shakes Robin's hand and tries to go over to Monmon. But the centurion comes back to life, smashing its mace between Guiche and Monmon!  
Kennard was back up, enraged. He glares at Robin.

**_"YOU! You commoner! You did something to him! Did you use an empowerment spell on this brat?!"_**

Kennard's friends whispered of a commoner woman who talked to Guiche as he got up to turn the battle to his favour.  
Blinded with rage, he has lost all meaning, there is no such thing as an empowerment spell. That and accusing a commoner of casting a spell.  
He readies his centurion, ready to strike down Robin.

_"It was pure strategy. And a tactic is only as good as the general orchestrating it!"  
_Robin readies to defend herself, however Guiche stands up in front of Robin, still exhausted and barely standing.

_"How dare you point a weapon against a lady!"  
_His honour and determination unwavering, however he had no strength left, with his opponent blinded by rage and left without reasoning, Guiche might end up seriously hurt.

Both Kirche and Tabitha, and even Montmorency were about to intervene.

_"Thank you Guiche, thanks everyone, it's alright, I'll handle this."  
_Robin tells the blonde, as she picks up one of the bronze swords the Valkyries dropped. She notices however that the runes on her right hand glow as she picks up the sword, making it feel as light as a feather. Giving a reassuring smile to Guiche and his friends, she gets ready.

With it, Guiche and the three girls back down. They watched intently, with Tabitha even hiding her book to give the fight her entire attention.

The centurion attacks Robin, some members of the crowd averting their sight on the commoner lady who was seemingly about to be killed. Robin however begged to differ.  
Robin somehow felt as swift and skillful as Lon'qu or Say'ri, her concentration as refined as Virion aiming an arrow, and as strong as even Chrom!  
Dodging the centurion's relentless assault as if she was dancing, the crowd who was expecting her to be killed was know awe-struck. Some of the boys blushing, one even commenting that she looked like a beautiful fairy dancing gracefully under the moonlight.

**_"YOU TWO! BACK ME UP! ARE YOU GONNA LET THIS COMMONER MAKE FUN OF ME?!"  
_**Kennard orders his two lackeys, snapping them out of the daze they had watching the commoner-woman.  
Pulling out their wands, they combine their magic and turn the centurion into a giant, wielding numerous weapons! The crowd was once again fearing the sight of a dead commoner.

Robin looks at the steel giant, then to the crazed Kennard and his lackeys, shaking her head in disapproval.  
_"You rely on brute force to fight, even after your loss. If this was a real battle, you already would have perished."  
_Robin stabs the sword into the ground beside her, as Kennard laughs.

_**"You wanna give up do you commoner bitch?! TOO BAD! For insulting me, death is the only punishment fitting for you!"**_

With her runes glowing even brightly before, she clenches her hand and speaks.  
_"Shall I demonstrate to you what happens when you use brute force against an overwhelmingly powerful foe?..."  
_Feeling a massive surge of magic and the glowing runes, she deduced that these runes acted like a spell that empowered her physical and magical powers. And it cost her nothing to use it.

**_"...checkmate!"  
_**Robin declares as she let out the flurry of spells that amazed even her.

* * *

**_5 minutes ago_**

Louise was awakened by loud noises, like metal hitting metal.  
_"NnggggGg...what's with all that racket?! I'm trying to sleep!"  
_Looking out her window she saw a duel taking place. Not wanting to be left out of the gossip, she quickly grabbed her coat and ran downstairs.  
Reaching the place of the duel, she tried to squeeze through. When she finally had a good view, it was all over. It was that playboy Guiche against that Bully Kennard.

Louise hated Kennard and his friends. Among her bullies, they were the most hurtful, managing to make her cry at times.

Looking at Guiche however, she saw a familiar sight. It was Robin, helping Guiche up. She found it strange.  
Still wondering what transpired however, Kennard makes it clear he wasn't done yet, and focuses his attention on Robin.  
She was about to intervene, much like Tabitha, Kirche, Monmon and an exhausted Guiche, however stopped as Robin stepped up in front of them.

Robin knew that Louise was there, as she gave her a reassuring smile. Robin was about to show Louise what her familiar was capable of

* * *

A symphony of fire, wind, ice, lightning, shadow and water greeted the steel giant. A barrage of multiple elements mercilessly battering the giant as each explosion took out pieces of it at a time.  
This woman was no mere commoner, this woman was a square class noble!

As the smoke clears, nothing was left of the giant but a massive crater. It was vaporised by the woman's merciless onslaught of magic.  
Kennard and his friends in utter disbelief passed out of fear.  
The crowd cheers once again, breaking the silence. Some whispering the repercussions of Kennard attempting to seriously injure the noblewoman.

Louise with her mouth agape approaches Robin.  
_"...ho...ho...how did you do that Robin?! That was AMAZING! You were a square class all this time?!"  
_Louise was ecstatic of her familiar's powers. Meanwhile Guiche, Monmon and Kirche were left speechless. Tabitha's eyes grew wide, still trying to process what just happened.

Robin just smiled and rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. She wasn't the type to show off like Vaike, Owain, or Cynthia.  
She looked at the runes on the back of her hand, wondering one more time just what it was.

* * *

Headmaster Osmond watched from his window. He saw the whole duel but decided not to intervene after seeing Robin nearby.

His door suddenly burst open, Professor Colbert in a hurry.  
_"Headmaster! A duel just took place in the courtyard! I'm heading there right now, please come!"_

_"Alright alright I'll be there as soon as I am able."  
_The old man replies as Colbert hurries to the courtyard.

_"Miss Robin sure is an interesting woman, don't you think ChuChu?"  
_The headmaster smiles as he pats his mouse familiar.

* * *

_**Author's notes:**_

Phew, this is my first attempt at completely original characters. I thought Poor Guiche should deserve a spotlight as he always became the whipping boy at the start of the story.

Seems that Robin's runes also augment her magic, weird huh?

Thanks for the reviews guys, as per suggestions, I've slowed down the story a bit and fixed paragraphing.

I'll try to keep improving the story, and I plan on changing the fates of certain characters in the story. "Cough" Matilda "Cough"  
What do you guys think of Guiche having a spotlight?  
Will start thinking of drafts for next chapter soon. See you then!


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Familiar of Zero or the Fire Emblem Series. This is merely a work of fan fiction - for fun only! All characters belong to their respective owners!

* * *

_"How are you feeling Guiche?"  
_Robin asks Guiche, who was still rubbing his bruised back, an injury he received earlier from the duel as he was knocked back.  
They were sitting outside of the headmaster's office to discuss the duel that took place earlier.  
Right after the duel and after the crowd dispersed, Professor Colbert asked Kennard, Dean, Franco, Guiche, Robin and Louise to come with him.  
They sat opposite each other, Professor Colbert sat next to Guiche and Louise sat next to Robin, her head resting on Robin's shoulder, apparently half asleep.  
Kennard and his two lackeys were inside the headmaster's room, being given a lecture and a punishment by the headmaster. Guiche would also be subjected to it soon enough.

Robin and Louise were asked to come by Professor Colbert, as he had something he wished to discuss with the two and the headmaster. It was already morning but Louise still needed sleep, so the Professor would just let her take the day off.

Upon hearing Robin's words, Guiche seemingly ignores the pain and walks over to Robin.  
_"Do not worry about me lady Robin, In me runs a soldier's blood. More importantly, your form and skill was nothing short of magnificent, as was your brilliant strategy! I am the son of General Gramont of Tristain if you didn't know!"  
_Guiche puffs out his chest proudly, still holding Robin's hand.

_"Maybe I can offer you a lofty position in the army? A square class mage of your caliber would be suitably qualified for a general's position. Maybe in the future when I become an officer, maybe we could fight side by side! Maybe something might even blossom."  
_Guiche pauses, his eyes meeting Robin's blue eyes.  
_"...perhaps something more that camaraderie and friendship?..."_

Robin sweatdropped.  
_'This boy...just hit on me...he has decent looks and is surprisingly brave...but what in the divine dragon am I thinking, I'm a married woman!'  
_Thinking of a way to politely turn him away from her, she suddenly remembers Montmorency.  
_"Uhm... Errr... What about Monmon? I thought you said you loved her?"_

Swishing his hair in dramatic fashion, Guiche boldly replies:  
_"I believe my love cannot be sated by loving only one woman!"_

_"Ooookayy now, this is awkward. Guiche. Sadly I have to turn you down."_

In unison, Robin, the Professor and the half asleep Louise replies:  
_"I'm married"  
"She's married, Mr Grammont"  
"She's married, Guiche"_

Guiche froze, rubbing his back again, he slowly gets up and goes back to his seat, slumping down as if in defeat. Colbert raising an eyebrow, Robin lets out a sigh and Louise gives a snort, all directed at Guiche, who has now fallen silent.

The door to the headmaster's office creaks open, the three young men with empty eyes coming out.  
The three stop in front of Robin, bowing their heads and apologising in unison.  
_"We are sorry for threatening you Madame! From the bottom of our hearts we apologise, and plead with you to spare our lives. We're merely foolish young boys, please spare us!"_

'_Hmph, they only apologise because they know I'm a noble. They didn't bat an eyelash when they though I was a commoner. They even threatened to kill me!'  
_Robin wanted to take advantage of this situation and make them regret their actions for the rest of their lives.  
_"Very well, I shall forgive your transgressions now. However, if I ever hear you bully anyone, noble OR commoner, I will hear of it. I will hear of it and you will share the same fate as your puny golem!"_

Robin pauses and takes a deep breath...  
**_"DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR YOU ROTTEN LITTLE WHELPS?!"  
_**Robin's sudden outburst of threatening anger catches Colbert, Louise and Guiche off guard, and terrifies the three bullies.

_"y...y...yes ma'm! Crystal clear!"  
_All three of them reply, as they hurry down the hallway, tails between their legs.  
Robin crosses her arms, and starts giggling.  
_"Well that'll teach them!"  
_Robin nods in satisfaction. Her three companions found themselves speechless.

_'Oh dear...what was that saying again? Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned?'_

_'Shes exactly like mother when she's angry!'_

_'...I think I may have dodged an arrow on this...'_

Colbert, Louise and Guiche's thoughts respectively as they sat up straight.

Colbert clears his throat and stands up.  
_"Shall we go in?"  
_Colbert asks the boy and the two girls. The three nod and head straight in, Colbert coming in last and closing the door.  
What met them was a familiar sight. Old Osmond and his Secretary were waiting for them.

_"Please, have a seat."  
_Osmond offers the four a seat, as he takes a big puff out of his pipe. Afterwards, he places it on his desk, facing Guiche with a serious look.  
Louise however was still deep in thought, even as she sat down in front of the headmaster.

_"Chrom...I think I've heard that name before...I can't remember.."  
_Louise asked herself, as she tries to remember where she had heard the name of the blue haired noble in her dreams. Robin though Louise was just feeling a bit light headed from lacking sleep so she decided to just let her be.

_"Mister Grammont, you know that duels are forbidden in this academy. Unfortunately, the 3 boys earlier are now expelled."_

_**"Bwah?!"  
**_Guiche gasped, they got expelled?! Is he going to suffer the same fate?!  
_"B..b..but headmaster I can explain! You see they started it first and...please don't expel me! My family would disown me!"  
_Guiche got on his knees and pleaded to the headmaster. Hearing the word "expelled", Louise snapped out of her thoughts and defended Guiche. She thought those three deserved it, but even if Guiche was annoying, he didn't deserve to be expelled!

_"Headmaster! Pardon me, but Guiche doesn't deserve to be expelled! Those bullies probably forced him to a duel!"  
_Louise tries to defend the blonde, he was one of those people who thought of her as Louise rather than the zero.

_"Yes headmaster, it is highly probable that they forced him! I saw those three harass him and Montmorency earlier!"  
_Robin adds, sharing the same sentiments as Louise.

_"...no...I asked Sir Kennard to a duel.."  
_Guiche sadly admits while looking down pitifully.

_"...Ohohohoho! What a brave lad you are! Well...boys will be boys! You are free to go young Grammont! See that you are not late for class, THAT is your punishment!"  
_The headmaster cheerfully replies to Guiche. The blonde puts on a blank, confused expression, as does Louise and Robin, while Colbert and Longueville both raise an eyebrow to his decision.

_"Truly headmaster?! But why?! You expelled those three and not me?!"  
_Guiche was happy but confounded. He was the one who initiated the duel, shouldn't he have a harsher punishment?

'_Ah, looks like I'm going to have to explain my decision...'  
_The headmaster stands up and brushes his beard and closes his eyes.  
_"Ah young Grammont, I've seen it time and time again, no matter how many times we forbid you students, you'll always have your childish duels...I did not expel those three because of that, their expulsion came from the fact that they threatened to harm our guest, miss Robin. THAT was an offence worthy of a severe punishment, happy that I am she was unharmed! Well, hurry up to your class mister Grammont, and enjoy your day, I still need to speak with these three."  
_The headmaster replies to Guiche, as he faces Colbert, Robin and Louise.

Still confused at what happened, Guiche just heads out the door, planning on having a change of clothes, then on to class.

_"Well...now that's settled, what did you want to talk about Jean?"  
_The headmaster asks the professor, rather curious himself.

Colbert, adjusts his glasses and takes out a book hidden in his robe.  
_"I did some research on miss Robin's runes and found...absolutely nothing! Nothing on spells, enchantments, even elven magic!"  
_Colbert paused, as Louise, Robin, Osmond and even miss Longueville's gave him their full attention.

_"So...you've found nothing professor? Not even foreign magic?"  
_Longueville asks the professor, wanting to know more of his findings. It's not everyday you see something completely unknown in this day and age.

_"These runes are unfamiliar to even myself professor. They don't seem familiar to me, and I can't find any connection of these runes to my world. However I've noticed, when I pick up a weapon, they start glowing, and I suddenly feel I'm an expert on that weapon. When I cast my magic, it felt like it somehow amplified it, like what happened earlier."  
_Robin shares to the discussion what she found out. These runes were not of her world, but the people in this world don't recognise it either.

_"Ahhh! Fascinating! Then it IS true! miss Robin, you are a familiar of legend, the Gandalfr! And that makes miss Vallière a void mage! I was merely looking at the wrong place. When I shifted my focus from technical and modern magic to ancient folklore and history, I suddenly found the answers I was looking for!"  
_Colbert gleefully announces his findings, strengthened by Robin's experience with the runes. He presents the book he brought as a historical book about Ghe founder, Brimir. Louise, Osmond ad Longueville were speechless. Robin however found out that the professor's answers just gave her more questions.

_"What exactly is a Gandalfr and a void mage professor?"_

_"Oh pardon me miss Robin, I forgot you were not of this world. Do you know of the elements and that there are actually 5 of them instead of 4?"_

_"Yes, professor. Louise explained it to me last night, how people who can use the void element are extremely rare."_

_"Ah good, then I'll explain the Gandalfr to you. Void mages hold great power, but their spells, powerful they may be, require time to cast. That is where legendary familiars come in. Void mages employ powerful humanoid familiars, one of them, the Gandalfr, I believe is you. The familiar with the power to wield and master any weapon."_

Robin was unsure of what to make of this. Although she was a skilled swordswoman, she never felt truly one with her sword as Lon'qu, an old friend, described to her once. When the runes glowed however, she felt like she could spar even against the most skilled swirdmasters. However, this didn't explain anything about her surge of magic power.  
_"Professor, when the runes glowed as I cast a spell, I felt a surge of magic coming from within me. Is it also an effect of being a Gandalfr?"_

_"Hmmm...among the books I have read pertaining to void mage's familiars, the Gandalfr was only mentioned as a master of weapons, not a user of magic...however...powers of strengthening a void mage's power belongs to the Lifdrasir, and not the familiar itself. Perhaps the knowledge I possess is still inefficient...  
Oh but one more criteria to verify miss Vallière as a void mage and miss Robin as a legendary familiar. Miss Vallière, have you felt a certain link with your familiar? Maybe in your dreams?"_

Louise remembers the extremely vivid dream she had last night, about the one with the blue-haired warrior.  
_"It might be just coincidence professor..but last night, I had a very vivid dream. About humanoid monsters attacking a village. I was about to be killed by one of them, then someone saved me. I think his name was...Chris...no...Crowley...nono..."  
_Louise was getting frustrated, she remembers his face but forgot his name.  
_"He had a muscular physique. He was a warrior, but he had an air of nobility about him. He also had...striking blue hair..."_

Robin's eyes widened. She HAS told them of him, but not what he looks like.  
_"...and he had a mark on his right shoulder, didn't he?..."_

Louise looked at Robin, surprised at how she knew.  
_"Y..yes! I think I remember seeing it!"_

Robin smiled warmly at Louise. The pinkette though stopped and thought why. Then it came back to her, the man who she met in her dreams and Robin's husband had the same name!

'_It can't be...can it?! It's too much of a coincidence!'  
_Louise put one and one together and couldn't believe it.  
_"Robin... Your husband's name was Chrom wasn't it?"_

Robin nods at Louise. Through some kind of magic, a mental bridge was formed between Louise and her world.

Colbert was completely fascinated by this phenomena however, and was taking notes.  
_"Oh...ah yes pardon me, I need to write this information lest I forget even the tiniest detail."_

Louise though, even with all the pieces fitting perfectly, was still in disbelief.  
_"But professor, me a void mage?! I..i..it's impossible! I've never casted a correct spell in all my life! They all just exploded in my face!_"

Robin puts aside her memories of Chrom for a second to understand Louise's predicament.  
_"Louise, you told me that void mages were extremely rare right? Well how many mages are exactly like you? I mean, a mage who only summons explosions?"_

Louise stopped to think about Robin's words. It's true...but maybe...  
_"...but maybe I'm just the anti-thesis to one...a rare example of a failure..."_

Robin looks at the pinkette, who was slouching on her seat, depressed. However she knew for a fact that Louise definitely was NOT a failure!  
_"Look Louise, before you summoned me, I disappeared from my world...you could say...I died...I died and forever left my loved ones behind. Through some miracle, someone brought me back from nothingness. Even though I wasn't summoned back into my world, there is hope yet for me returning to them. YOU gave me that hope by summoning me Louise."  
_Robin smiles at Louise. The pinkette looks up to Robin's eyes and starts tearing up. Louise just remembered that Robin was parted from her husband. She imagined herself losing family, losing either her mother or her father, or one of her sisters, never to be seen or heard from again. Then somehow a glimmer of hope shows itself and assures her that someday they will be reunited once again.

Louise falls into Robin's arms sobbing. Robin gives her a warm, motherly hug as she lets out her tears. Colbert couldn't help but stop writing and smile. The same also went from Osmond, while miss Longueville wipes her eyes at the sight.  
_  
"Are you fine now Louise?"  
_Robin asks the pinkette as she stops sobbing and wipes her eyes.

_"Yes..I'm sorry for that..."  
_Louise once again composes herself and faces the headmaster.

_"Going back to the topic at hand..."_  
Osmond in all his long years has never seen anything like this. But he believed that announcing that a student was a void mage would lead to unwanted attention, maybe even endanger Louise.  
_"For now, we must keep this a secret between all of us in this room. Until I've spoken to the Pope and the Princess about this, no one is to mention this to anyone, else miss Vallière's life might be put into danger understood?"_

Everyone nods, acknowledging the headmaster's wise decision.

_"If that is all, then you are free to leave. Have a safe and productive day. Miss Vallière, if you still need sleep then you may take the day off and rest"  
_The headmaster concludes, gives a smile, then turns his chair around to face the window behind him.

_"I'll notify you once I've found more information. Stay safe miss Robin, miss Vallière."  
_Colbert adds as he goes outside, getting ready for his own class.

Longueville nods towards Robin and Louise, heading back to her desk outside.  
Finally Robin and Louise head out, leaving the headmaster once again alone in his large office.

Osmonds's mouse familiar Chuchu crawls up to his master's hand.  
_"What do we have today Chuchu?  
Ah! Miss Longueville's wearing black today I see, such a seductive one that woman is!  
I see..miss Vallière really likes pink ones, so young and innocent!  
How about our new friend miss Robin? A beauty like her must wear something lacy and white again no doubt!"_

Instead, the mouse-familiar produces a small folded note, apparently nervous.  
Osmond opens the note, and to his surprise, shook his very soul...

* * *

_**Dear Headmaster**_

_It has come to my attention that, whenever me and Louise visit your office, you command your mouse to spy on our underwear. Since we're tired and I have a lot in my mind, I've decided to ignore it just once. __**HOWEVER**__ when we come back and you attempt this one more time, __**I**__**WILL**__ shove your mouse __**DOWN YOUR THROAT**__ and __**SET YOU ON FIRE**__. Do I make myself clear you __**OLD PERVERTED BASTARD?**_

_Love~  
__**Robin**_

_P.s. Look at your door_

Still shaking, Osmond saw an eye looking through his slightly ajar door, filled with malice and murderous intent. His door then slammed shut, releasing an icy breeze.  
Chuchu hid inside his master's beard as Osmond hid under his desk.

_"Chuchu...I think we should rethink our strategy..."_

The mouse squeaks, as if to acknowledge his master.

* * *

'_Well...I he's learnt his lesson...damn pervert'  
_Robin closes the headmaster's door, her scary face returning to normal. She turns around and faces Louise.  
_"Do you feel fine Louise? Will you take the day off or will you go to class?"_

Louise's drowsiness wore off after their discussion in the headmaster's office. She wanted to take a break and reflect on all that's happened, but she was a Vallière, and it was her duty to attention class like a good student.  
_"I think I'm ready for class. I need to freshen up and get changed first. If I hurry up I might be able to reach miss Chevreuse's class on time."_

_"I'll think I'll go with you this time Louise, if it doesn't bother you that is. I want to learn more of this world's magic"_

Louise didn't mind at all. She wanted to help her new friend in any way she can.  
_"Sure, I don't mind Robin. There are unused seats at the back of her classroom. Oh but first I need to change! Let's go back to my room!"_

Robin followed the pinkette back to her room. Louise freshened up and had a change of clothes.  
Colbert advised Robin to wear her robe when going around the school, so students dare not mistake her as a commoner again. She was actually more comfortable wearing it though, she just felt like it was a second skin to her.  
Finishing up, both women headed for the classroom...

* * *

_"We have earth magic class with miss Chevreuse Huh? I wish we had more fire classes with Professor Colbert, at least they were more interesting..."  
_Kirche said to Tabitha as she shares her preference to fire magic lessons. Her main element though was fire, so it was understandable.

_"Earth...important"  
_Was all Tabitha would say to her friend, earning her a sigh.

Kirche was about to speak again when Montmorency arrives and sits near them.  
_"Hi, good morning Kirche, good morning Tabitha!"_

_"Good morning"  
_Tabitha was a woman of few words, but was quite friendly to everyone, as she returns the greeting.

_"Oh Monmon! Good morning! You feel alright? What about Guiche?"  
_Kirche greeted her friend. She was also worried about her from last night, she was her friend so it was her duty to be there for her.

_"Oh I'm fine, thanks Kirche. Well Guiche..."  
_She assures her friend she's fine, however she gets cut off..

_"Oh my dear Monmon! Have I ever told you how your eyes sparkle like stars under the moonlit sky?"  
_Guiche comes popping out unexpectedly, making Kirche and Montmorency roll their eyes in annoyance. Tabitha however, just ignored him and kept reading her book.

_"Yes Guiche... for the 35th time you said that to me this week.."  
_She was fond of him she admits to herself, however there were times she would just want to punch him in the face.

_"Congratulations last night by the way Guiche, that was quite impressive"  
_Kirche remembered his bravery last night. Though he was an annoying playboy, he stepped up when he needed to.

_"Oh you are too kind milady! But actually I cannot receive all the credit. I couldn't have won without miss Robin's brilliant strategy!"  
_Guiche became rather fond of Robin. He was disappointed he could not court her, but instead he decided to treat her like a respectable older sister.

_"Speaking of which..."  
_Kirche pointed at the door as Louise and Robin comes in and takes the table beside Kirche's, while Robin goes to the back to watch.  
_"Good morning Louise the Zero! You just made it with ZERO minutes to spare! Ahaha!"  
_Kirche enjoyed teasing Louise, heck she considered it her past time. She genuinely thought of Louise as a friend however and took care not to go too far.  
Conpetition between the von Zerbsts and the de la Vallieres go way back, so that was how they met in the first place.

_"Oh you shut up you red headed hussy! Go smolder yourself in a corner or something."  
_Louise counters the insult thrown at her.

Robin was watching at the back as the two girls made fun of each other, as if they were sisters teasing each other, much like Vaike and Chrom were, trying to best each other.  
Robin was thankful that Guiche was seated four tables away from her, else she'd start growing white hair from the stress.

The two girls' teasing stopped however, as a stout lady came in through the door, carrying books. She looked rather haughty Robin thought.  
_"Good morning class, I hope you've done all your homework!"_

_"Good morning miss Chevreuse"  
_The class returns the greeting in chorus as they all stand up. Robin stood up as well out if respect. The teacher's name was Chevreuse, runic name - Chevreuse of Red Clay - a triangle class earth mage.

_"Ah! And you must be Lady Robin! The headmaster informed me of your presence in the academy. I'm honoured to have you here in my class! A noble of such skill at such a young age!"  
_The lady greets Robin politely

Robin was kind of flattered actually. It seems nobility and rank play an important role in this world.  
_"Good morning miss Chevreuse, the pleasure is all mine really! I look forward to your class!"  
_Robin replies politely as Chevreuse smiles and gets her books out.

_"You may take your seats students! Today we will be learning transmutation of earth to metals!"  
_The students take their seats, readying their wands. Robin was eager to see their magic in practical applications, while Louise wanted to impress Robin.

With a flick of the wrist, Chevreuse pointed her wand at the rock she placed on the table. After slightly glowing, it turned into a different shape and colour. She turned a rock into Quartz.  
_"To mold earth to do your bidding, you must first concentrate your magical energy to your wand and let it flow. Let the energy flow through to your wand and distribute it evenly into the earth. Once you have done that, you may mold the earth into any shape or form, or even change it's composition altogether! Of course, the more skilled a mage you are, the better the results. Square class mages may even turn rock into gold if they wished!"_

Robin definitely wanted to try this. Turning rocks into gold? She'd fully equip every soldier in Ylisse with the best armour and weapons in the world - with her pocket money! Heck it would make Anna, her red headed merchant friend from back home, green with envy!

_"Pardon me miss Chevreuse, from where I come from, earth magic was erm...rare and I am eager to learn. May I try it?"  
_Robin asks, wanting to experiment on using earth magic. Chevreuse was amazed though, where she came from rarely had earth magic?

_"Feel free milady. I am curious to see what you are capable of myself!"_

Standing up, Robin heads to the front. Robin had never used a wand to perform magic. She used magical tomes, and when she'd learn it fully, could cast the tome's powers without the time itself. Taking Chevreuse's instructions to heart, she channels magic into her hands, onto the quartz crystal. A bright flash engulfs it once more and the mineral changes into something even more valuable.

Chevreuse adjusts her glasses and inspects the metal carefully...  
_"This is...pure gold! Milady, you just transmuted a mineral into a massive nugget of gold!"  
_The teacher was in awe. Only square class mages are able to create gold in small quantities. The young woman however, casually created the largest gold nugget she has ever seen!

The students weren't as surprised though. Seeing her powers last night, they has already concluded she was a square class mage easily.

Robin was amazed herself. She got it right in the first try. She just can't wait to show this to Anna! She's never used earth magic before, maybe because of these strange runes she is able to.

Louise was really impressed. To get it on the first try and surpass even her teacher? She really wanted to prove to Robin that she was a worthy master to her amazing familiar.  
_"May I try it next miss Chevreuse?"_

Chevreuse composed herself and nodded at Louise. Robin went back to her seat at the back, anxious to see what Louise could do. Chevreuse decided to keep the big chunk of gold, and replaced it with another common looking rock.

'_I have to do this right! I need to show Robin I'm worthy enough to be called her master. To prove I'm not a failure!'_

_"Uh-oh, not again...word of advice miss Robin, take cover!"  
_Kirche advises Robin, who was watching Louise intently. She couldn't understand however, she knew Louise made explosions but it couldn't be THAT bad could it?  
Tabitha closed her book and headed out the door while Kirche, Montmorency, Guiche and the entire class his behind their tables or took cover elsewhere.  
Suddenly Robin felt rather...uneasy.

'_I can do this! I can do this! I can do this! Just concentrate Louise!'  
_With a flick of the wrist, Louise swished her wand and concentrated her magical energy. Like Robin and miss Chevreuse, the rock shined.  
'_Yes! Yes! Just a bit more! Don't you dare explode!'_

Louise however was about to be disappointed. The shining rock begins to form cracks and much to her dismay...exploded. With a large booming sound of an equally large explosion, the room was filled with smoke and dust, with tiny shards of the stone flew everywhere.

_"You did it again you Zero! You made another explosion!"  
_A random voice could be heard from one of the students. Louise once again failed a spell and caused an explosion.

Miss Chevreuse was not amused at all as she dusted herself off and opened a window to clear away the smoke.  
_"Well class...THAT is what happens when you fail the spell. It either does nothing or THIS happens. Is everyone alright?"  
_Miss Chevreuse says in an irritated tone.

Louise could do nothing but hang her head down in shame and disappointment as her classmates come out of their cover and survey the damage.

_"Huh? Where'd miss Robin go? I didn't see her leave the room."  
_Kirche could be heard, asking the class.

Louise looked around and called her friend.  
_"Robin? Where are you?"_

With a gasp, someone in the class pointed at the ground. Everyone looked at that direction and was shocked.  
Robin was on the ground lying unconscious!

Louise runs to her friend's side. Looking at her, she had a small trickle of blood and a bump from the side of her head.  
Louise was horrified! She tried to show her new friend that she wasn't a failure, instead she got hurt putting her trust in her!

_"Call the nurse quickly!"  
_Miss Chevreuse could be heard, commanding someone to get the nurse.  
It seems the explosion launched pieces of the rock around the room, one unfortunately finding its way to the side of the young woman's head, knocking her out.

_"Oh Zero you've done it now! Once a zero always a zero!"  
_A random voice could be heard from the crowd.  
Kirche decided not to tease Louise further, this scene was more than painful enough to her already. Guiche and Montmorency come up and try to wake up the young woman.

'_I did this? My stupid prideful self deluded me into thinking I could do it, only for me to not only fail, but to hurt my friend who believed in me?!'  
_Louise bolted out of the classroom in tears, and ran straight towards her room, locking herself in. She covers her face with her pillow and cries her heart out...

* * *

**_A couple of days earlier..._**

Within a thick forest somewhere, a ritual took place...

_"Araaa? Nothing happened...well that person did say something might or might not happen. He was nice enough to give me enough gold for food to last everyone a month at least."  
_A well endowed blonde with pointy ears had attempted to summon a familiar, only for nothing to come out. She was rather disappointed that nothing happened, but was grateful to the person who gave her gold just to try and attempt it.  
She walks back towards the orphanage within the woods were she lived.  
The woman didn't notice it but she was being watched by a shadowy figure in the woods.

_"So...it is true. You are here too...ah ahaha!"  
_The shadowy figure cackles in the darkness. Hijacking the woman's summoning spell, the strange person managed to locate a specific person...

* * *

**_Author's notes_**

Well, lengthy dialogue scenes, random events and some Louise+Robin moments. Just finished a fight after all, might just slow down the story a bit.

Poor Louise though, I felt sorry for doing that to her, but I did kinda want to be original...

Also don't piss Robin off.

We'll see you guys next time! Review and comment please! If you have any advice for me, feel free to share, this is my first fanfic.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Familiar of Zero or the Fire Emblem Series. This is merely a work of fan fiction - for fun only! All characters belong to their respective owners!

* * *

Intently watching Louise performing transmutation, Robin heard faint footsteps from outside the room. With everyone taking cover, she was the only one who noticed miss Longueville walking by the door. She was acting peculiar however, wearing her hood down and was continually checking her surroundings.  
_'She's acting rather odd, maybe I should go che...'_

_"__**GUHHH!..."  
**_Suddenly, an explosion occurred, sending fragments of rock flying. Unfortunately, one struck Robin on the side of the head. She felt a sharp pain the side of her head and in an instant, she blacks out...

Louise smothered her face in her pillow. Still in tears about what happened, about how she failed horribly and ended up hurting her friend.  
'_...I'm such a miserable failure. Why did I even run away?! Why didn't I help her?!'_  
Louise answers that question in her mind. She pictured her friend's face, full of disappointment from her explosive failure at an attempt at magic. She did not want to see it, so she ran instead of helping her up.

The pinkette then quietly cried herself to sleep...

* * *

_'Huh?...'_  
Louise found herself walking around an encampment. She couldn't control her actions though, no matter how hard she tried. She merely walked past a couple of tents amid the grassy clearing, the full moon above shining brightly, with torches and campfires giving off more light. She couldn't even feel anything, as if her eyes were grafted into someone else's body.

_'Why can't I control myself? MOVE THAT WAY BODY!'_  
She once again tries to control herself but to no avail. She noticed though, that her neck was chilly, and that she couldn't feel her long hair on her back or shoulders. She also felt she became taller. Looking to the front, she stopped in front of a tent about 5 times larger than any in the camp she's seen.

_'This must be the leader's tent...'_  
She thought, as she enters the tent, she was surprised to see it looked rather cozy. A table, chairs and books strewn around, with a large makeshift bed with hay acting as a mattress. She was surprised however, seeing a familiar person sitting on the ground at a corner of the tent, covering her face with her legs. It was Robin. However, she noticed her robe was different, as if she took out all the adornments off of it. She also appeared to be crying...

Louise stopped in front of Robin. Noticing a mirror nearby, Louise looked and saw that...she had become Chrom!  
Louise looked at her friend, wanting to know what was wrong. She was greeted by red, swollen eyes as Robin looked up.

_"...Chrom...I..I'm...sorry Chrom...I'm so sorry!..."_  
The woman could barely hold back her tears as she apologises to Chrom. But why? What happened?

_"...you tried your best..you did everything you could. We even got to see her one last time."_  
Louise could hear Chrom's voice coming out of her lips, which rather unnerved her a bit. She could, however, tell that Chrom himself was sad too.

_"...Emm wouldn't have blamed you Robin, if at all, my sister would be thanking you. I don't blame you, Lissa doesn't blame you, none of us do. At the very least, she died knowing we could be safe..."_

Louise now understood.  
One mistake. One mistake caused Chrom's sister to die, and that Robin blamed herself for her death.

Louise...or Chrom rather kneeled down and embraced the teary-eyed woman, assuring her that it wasn't her fault...that she wasn't a failure.

Robin wiped her eyes, then rested her forehead on Chrom's.  
_'..Wha...Wha...Wha...Wha...!?'_  
Louise felt red as a tomato. Even if she was just Chrom's eyes, she couldn't help but be embarrassed at this tender moment, and how close their lips were to each other!

_"You're right...I'm sorry for making you worry...instead of just moping around like dead weight, I should be doing my job. I want this to end, so no one else would die. So we could live peaceful lives once more."  
_Robin smiled and stared warmly at Chrom, their eyes meeting each other's.  
Slowly, their faces drew nearer, until their lips locked together in a passionate kiss, as Chrom slowly pushed Robin down until she was on her back, and Chrom reached down to Robin's backside, causing her to moan...

_'__**Dont look! Don't look! Don't look!**__ I need to cover my ears! Wait I can't cover my ears! I can't close my eyes either! __**NOOO! STOOOOP!**__'_

As Louise's mind was about to go into meltdown, Robin pulled her lips from from Chrom's, and smiled.  
_"I meant my job as a tactician Chrom, not my other job...that can wait...priorities right?"_  
Robin tells Chrom while giggling. Louise breathed a sigh of relief as she narrowly dodges a bullet to her sanity.

_"Hahaha! Sorry I nearly got carried away there. It's been a long day, we should just call it a night"_  
Chrom removes his armor and heads for the makeshift bed.

_"I agree, I think better when I'm not tired. Let's call it a night"_  
Robin replies, hanging her robe on a nearby chair. They then lie down on the bed, facing each other. Robin's eyes closing first. Louise then felt drowsy herself and everything went dark...

_'Even after making such a mistake, she fought on...and she had friends waiting to pull her up...I'll keep trying. I won't give up, I'll try harder because my friend believes in me! And I won't leave her side again, that's what friends are for right?!'_  
Louise's final thoughts before finally going to sleep.

* * *

_"You think she'll be fine Tabitha?"_  
Kirche asks her comparatively small friend and classmate, scanning the unconscious young woman on the one of the clinic's beds.

_"Strong...She's fine"_  
Tabitha, with as few words as ever, replies to her friend.

The two had volunteered to accompany the nurses in bringing Robin to the clinic. Kirche though, was worried about Louise too. Even though they were rivals, she also thought of her as a friend. Kirche noticed Louise actually become livelier than before when Robin came to her life. She knew that Louise considered Robin a good friend, and that if she got hurt even more badly than this, because of her blunder, she'd never live it down. So Kirche decided to look after Robin in Louise's absence.  
Monmon and Guiche wanted to come along too, but the former thought it best to keep the latter away from the unconscious woman.

Kirche knew little about the woman, all she knew was her being a noble from a faraway land, summoned by Louise to become her familiar. She was also apparently a tactician for an army, and was married.

_"Ohh wow, now that I can look at her up close and personal, she's actually quite a beauty!"_  
Kirche couldn't help but feel Robin's beautiful long,brown hair, free of any tangles or split ends, with a single braid of hair on the side. The bandage she was wearing on her head spoiled a perfectly good sight, but the red head couldn't complain.

With her regal looking robe hanging on the coat rack, Kirche inspected the rest of her body. She had a slender build, her face free of any blemishes, skin smooth to the touch. Her hands though, felt slightly calloused, a side effect from wielding a sword no doubt. She was not well endowed like Kirche, but she was not flat chested like Louise either, she'd probably classify it as average sized at the very least. She had long, slender legs that made her look quite athletic, her thighs not showing a tinge of excess fat. Looking at her face once more, she looked rather young for someone who was supposed to be her senior of a couple of years. Kirche inspected her face closer, suddenly finding her lips just a few inches away from the woman.

She quickly pulled away and composed herself however, as she snapped out of her fascination.  
She notices Tabitha however, staring at her with an eyebrow raised. Apparently she had been observing Kirche check out the woman for a while now. Adjusting her glasses, Tabitha, with her usually expressionless face asks her friend a rather blunt question:  
**_"...bisexual?..."_**

Kirche suddenly finds herself rather flustered.  
_"N...no! It's not like that! I was just making sure she didn't have any other injuries the nurses might have overlooked!"_  
Kirche replies to her friend while biting her nail. Tabitha puts her eyes back on her book, then back to Kirche, every five minutes or so, thinking her friend might do something unexpected.

_'...am I really falling for another woman?!'_  
The red-head asks herself in her head as she bites her lip.

The two, deciding the woman was going to be fine, left to resume their clases. A familiar maid steps in with a bag of ice cold water and a towel comes in...

_"Oh Robin, I came here as soon as I heard, you'll be fine, I'll make sure of it!"_  
The maid known as Siesta puts down the bag of water and the towel and checks Robin's temperature, and was startled to see her returning back to consciousness.

_"Ungh...my head...Siesta? What happened?"_  
Robin, head still throbbing, was still getting her head straight.  
Siesta gives her the towel and the bag to put on her head.

_"You were in a freak accident Robin, miss Vallière's spell caused a rock to explode, and one of the shards hit your head."_

_"Ahh now I remember...but...how's Louise? Is she alright?!"_  
Robin was afraid Louise had gotten hurt badly being closer to the explosion.

_"She's fine, the students say she went back to her room, you were the only one who got hurt."_

Robin wraps the towel around the bag and puts it on the bump on her head.

_"Thanks Siesta! I should go and let Louise know I'm fine."_  
Robin thanks Siesta as she headed to Louise's room. Siesta gave her a smile as she left, unknown to her friend however, Siesta believes this might be the last time they will ever meet again...

_"...munyaa...*yawn*..."_  
Louise had just woken up, the memory of the dream still fresh in her mind.

Getting up and freshening herself up, she looked at herself in the mirror.  
_'No more crying Louise! Stay strong, you are not a failure!'_  
Louise thinks to herself while facing the mirror. She looks at herself, deciding that she is no longer Louise the Zero, she was Louise le Blanc de la Vallière, proud daughter of Karin Vallière and...  
**_"...a void mage."_**  
She finishes her thoughts by telling the last part to her mirror self out loud.

Wiping her face and adjusting her clothes, she opens her door to find Robin, one hand with a pack of ice water on her head, the other in the air, about to knock on her door.

_"...Louise! Thank the gods you're fine!"_

_"R..R...obin?! Shouldn't I be the one saying that to you?!"_  
Louise points at the woman's head, still rather worried.

_"It should take a lot more than that to kill me off!"_  
Robin smirks as she replies to Louise.

_"I'm sorry I did that Robin. I truly am, for hurting you and running away from my friend."_  
Louise apologises to Robin, looking directly at her blue eyes.

_"It's alright Louise, we're still friends though right?"_  
Both girls give each other smiles, as Louise nods happily at her friend.

_"But...let me make it up to you. Tomorrow at dawn, we'll go shopping together. I have a day off tomorrow do let's go to town. What do you say?"_  
Louise asks her friend. Shopping always made her happy as it took her mind off things.

_"I'd love to Louise. Though I'm afraid I don't have any money with..."_  
Robin pauses to think a bit...  
_'Why don't I just transmute more gold? Silly me!'_

_"Don't worry about it, it's my treat! I just got my weekly allowance so I have more than enough for both of us."_  
Louise cheerfully tells Robin, while tapping her pocket, a pouch full of coins inside.  
Not wanting to spoil Louise's generosity, Robin just nods.

_'Maybe I'll just transmute a little and keep it for pocket money then...'_  
Robin tells herself as she and Louise head to the pinkette 'a next class.

_'It's __**weird**__ though...only I was struck by a rock, although Louise and everyone else near her were unharmed...'_  
Robin remembers before she was knocked out, she and miss Longueville's eyes met. Deciding it just might have been pure coincidence, she drops the subject.

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

Miss Longueville was seated on her desk doing paperwork. She spots an accident report from miss Chevreuse, about how a mishap caused miss Robin to lose consciousness.  
She sighed as she remembered them two locking eyes as she was heading for the vault with some rather dubious items, as she tried to attempt opening it.  
The brown haired woman caught her sneaking and was about to go to her, when luck had it, the little Vallière was casting a spell.

_'I have to be more careful around that woman, not only is she rather perceptive, she's damn powerful too.'_  
Longueville reminds herself as Robin had nearly caught her red handed.

_'Still though...I hope I didn't hurt her badly...'_  
She was worried that she might have overdone it earlier, as she redirected a piece of rock to hit the woman on the head as the explosion occurred. She was secretly a thief, but she was no murderer.

She once again works through the stack of paperwork..

* * *

That night, Louise was planning on what to do and where to go tomorrow.  
_'Shall we go to that new cafe across the tailor's or the cake shop beside the shoe store...which store did I find that pretty dress again?...'_  
The pinkette was no doubt excited for tomorrow that she forgot to eat dinner.

Robin went went to find Kirche and Tabitha's rooms to thank them for earlier. She ended up at Tabitha's room first, but got no answer.  
_'She must be asleep already'_  
She thought and went on to find Kirche's room, which was just at the next hallway.

Kirche had heard from one of the maids that Robin was trying to find her to thank her for earlier. Kirche loved boys, but after the incident in the nurse's office earlier, she started to have doubts about her sexuality. Then she remembered Tabitha's comment...

_**'...bisexual?...'**_

Those words felt like a resounding echo in her head. She was still a virgin, but she enjoyed teasing boys all the time.  
_'Maybe there's something that might tickle my fancy over at the other side..'_  
She thought to herself. She was a couple of years older than her, maybe the woman felt and experimented this herself when she was Kirche's age.

Robin approaches the door and knocks, straightening her clothes out as she waited. After waiting about 3 minutes, she thought, like Tabitha, she was asleep too.  
_'I suppose I'll just thank them tomorrow when we get back'_

Robin turns around, but before she could take her first step, the door behind her creaked open and someone had grabbed her hand, dragging her into the room.

_"Fwuh?!"_

The woman loses her balance and falls, she braced for the cold hard floor, instead she falls on a soft, warm bed.  
Like Louise's bed, it was so soft that it felt like she was sleeping on a cloud. Something smelled rather pleasant, like some kind of incense. It put her at ease so she decided to stay lying for a couple of seconds longer.

_"Oh founder! Are you alright? I'm sorry I did that, I didn't know what came over me!"_  
Out of nowhere, Kirche's face pops out in front of her.

_"O..oh Kirche! Good evening! I just wanted to thank you for earlier. I really appreciate it, and I wanted to repay you and Tabitha for taking care of me."_  
Robin sincerely thanks Kirche and tries to stand up.  
_"I should be going back to Louise now, she might get worried."_

Kirche however, blocks Robin, grabs her shoulders and gently pushes her back. She was once again lying down on the bed, but now the red-head was on top of her, her dark skin showing a tint of red. She unties the brunette's robe, and slides her shirt down to expose her bare shoulder.  
_"K...K...Kirche? What are you...__**unnnnngh~!**__"_  
The brunette was caught unaware as Kirche nibbles on her ear lobe. The act not only weakens her, but forces her to let out a moan.

Then, Robin remembers a repressed memory.

Back in her world, in camp one night, a friend came to visit her. Chrom was out having a contest with Vaike, a fellow Shepherd and his rival.  
Her friend had long, green hair tied in a high ponytail with a red ribbon and wore a small circlet with a ruby set in the center. She wore a red one piece dress with long red thigh high boots, and a combination of pink thigh high stockings, a pink sash and a small pink cape.  
The most striking feature of hers however were her long ears.  
She was of the manakete race, who could turn into dragons at will with the use of a peculiar object called a dragon stone. Although she looked around Robin's age, she was actually a couple thousand years old. Her name was Tiki, and she came to Robin's tent for "_something_".  
Little did Robin realise however, was that due to her rather solitary life, Tiki had a confused sexuality, and wanted to...experiment.  
Never before has she felt that awkward afterwards, she had never told anyone, not even Chrom, about their one night stand. She made Tiki promise never mention it to anyone.

Robin considered herself "straight". She loved men, and foremost she loved Chrom, with whom she was married to.  
Looking at the situation, she had little choice though.

_"N...n...no...Kir...che...plea...se...st...op...__**UNGGH!...AAANNH!**_**"**  
The brunette couldn't help but moan even louder as Kirche grabbed her breast!  
She was about to once again experience that same night with Tiki...  
_"You...are so beautiful Robin...I can't control myself...!"_  
Kirche says to Robin, moaning herself.

Suddenly, the door slams open, a rather flustered and furious Louise pointing her wand at her rival. She had come to search for Robin, who was missing for a while. No one knew where she was until a maid told her that she was pulled inside Kirche's room.

_**"W...W...WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR'E DOING TO MY FAMILIAR KIRCHE VON ZERBST?!"**_

_"Oh it's you Louise. Please respect our privacy, go away! We're not done!"_  
Kirche retorts, driving Louise even angrier!

_"L...Louise...help...me..."_  
Robin weakly raises her hand and mutters to her friend.

_**"EXPLOSION!"**_  
Louise casts her spell on her rival, causing a massive puff of black smoke and a loud booming sound to echo in Kirche's room.  
The smoke clearing, Kirche was covered in ash, as she falls unconscious on her bed beside Robin.

Louise comes to Robin's side to help her up, giving her a hug.  
_"Are you alright Robin?"_  
The pinkette asks as she hugs her still weakened friend.

_"I am, thanks Louise, perfect timing!"_  
She replies.

Kirche, after cleaning up, bowed on the floor and apologised as hard as she could.  
_"I'm so __**sorry**__ Robin! I don't know what came over me! I just wanted to experiment, I didn't mean to do that! Honest!"_  
She apologises to Robin, and to Louise as well but made it her point it was mainly Robin.

_"Alright, alright Kirche, I forgive you, just don't ever do it again. __**EVER**__."_  
Robin accepts Kirche's apology, but made it a point for Kirche never to even think about it again.  
_"It's getting late, we should be going to bed. Good night Kirche."_  
Robin greets Kirche a good night, even after all that's happened. And heads outside Kirche's room with Louise.

_"If you do it again, I'll finish you off you bisexual cow!"_  
Louise proclaims as she angrily sneers at Kirche, as she and Robin head back to her room.

Kirche sighs in defeat as the two leave.

The next day, Robin and Louise headed for the nearby town by horseback. It was around 40 minutes away by a relaxed gallop.

Going around town, they window shopped through numerous stores, bought various trinkets and had delicious cake in Louise's favourite cafe.  
Louise felt like she was having a fun outing with her older sister Cattleya, while Robin felt like she was sharing a moment with her daughter Lucina.  
As the day drew to a close however, Robin thought of buying one more thing.

_"Louise, is it alright if we make one more stop?"_  
Robin asks her friend.

_"Sure!"_  
The pinkette happily nods in approval.

The two enter a weapon shop - stocked with various weapons of differing shapes and sizes. Louise was unfamiliar with weapons, as the only weapon she has ever wielded was a wand, though it was obvious that her friend was seeking a weapon. As Robin looked around, Louise took the initiative and headed the shopkeeper at the counter.

_"Ahh welcome young beautiful young lady! Do you seek a powerful weapon for yourself, or for your lovely companion over there?"_  
The shopkeeper flatters Louise, hoping to get a sale out of the young noble.

_"For my friend actually. I want your best, strongest, most powerful weapon, preferably a sword."_  
Louise boldly tells the shopkeeper what she's looking for, as Robin notices Louise and walks to her side.

_"I want to get you the best sword in this shop as a present, just to make it up for me leaving you behind before."_  
Louise excitedly tells her friend.

_"Oh Louise, I don't mind really, but I do need a weapon ready if I'm to be a familiar to defend you when magic isn't enough. So thank you very much."_  
Robin thanks Louise from the bottom of her heart, as the shopkeeper shows them an extremely expensive looking sword.

_"This jewel encrusted sword was made by a famous Germanian alchemist. This here is the best of the best I've got! It's made of none but the finest gold and jewelry in Halkeginia! And it's yours for 5000 gold pieces! A steal!"_  
The shopkeeper proudly describes the sword and follows it up with an outrageous sum of money as it's price.

_"__**F...five thousand!?**__ That's enough to buy a house and land!"_  
Louise exclaims, stupefied by the outrageous price, outrageous even for her!

_"That's a magnificent ornamental sword you've got there sir, but I need a sturdy and simple weapon, for actual use in combat."_  
Robin explains to the shopkeeper, confident about her judgement in weaponry through experience.

_"B..b..but this is the very best I've got I assure you! It's well worth it's price! It goes perfectly with such a beauty such as you my lady!"_  
The shopkeeper tries to convince the young woman to change her mind through flattery, however Robin had experience with merchants, as one with impossibly numerous sisters had travelled with her and the Shepherds!

**_"Hey young lady! Over here!"_**  
Robin turns around to the voice calling her, but sees no one around.  
_**"Over here! The handsome sword in the barrel!"**_

Robin walks over and takes a closer look. To her surprise, a talking sword!  
She pulls the sword out of the barrel and inspects it.

_"It's light...it has a comfortable handle...it has good balance...it's sturdy...and it talks!"_  
Robin describes the sword as she tries it out.

_"You flatter me my lady! You have a good eye for weapons!"_  
The sword thanks the woman for praising him, as the hilt moves as if it were it's lips.

_"Oh that thing's name is Derflinger, I call him Derf. I can't remember where I got him, but he's annoying as hell! He doesn't shut up and he's all rusted up!"_  
The shopkeeper tells the two girls in an annoyed voice.

_"Are talking swords normal in this world Louise?"_  
Robin asks her friend, who might know.

_"No, I've never heard of talking swords before, not in my books, nor have I heard of something like him from my teachers."_  
Louise replies, giving a dumbfounded look as she inspects the sword.

_"I'll take this sword good shop keeper!"_  
Robin blurts out suddenly, surprising both Louise and the shopkeeper, as she admires the sword, trying to figure out what makes him tick.

_"Oh...umm...I'll give him to you for 300 gold pieces...I guess.."_  
The shopkeeper looked rather disappointed, selling off a cheap sword rather than the expensive bejeweled one, as the two girls walk out of the shop.

Robin looks back at the shop and strangely stares at it for a couple of seconds, prompting Louise to ask why.  
_"Is there something wrong with that shop? Did you forget something?"_

_"No...no...I just felt a bit of nostalgia buying a weapon. I always expected a merry red-headed woman as a shopkeeper."_  
Robin replies to her friend, which prompted a perplexed expression on Louise's face as they walked on.

* * *

As he was about to close shop for the day however, his door opened once more, another pair of young noblewomen come in, much to his surprise and purchases the bejeweled sword! They then hurry outside.

Still stunned at the extremely fast purchase of an item worth a fortune, his bewildered face morphs into one of pure joy!

"**Woo haha! Lucky day!** Hey boss I sold that expensive looking sword! The one with the jewels!"  
The shopkeeper proudly announces to his boss who resided at the back.  
A red haired woman around her forties came out from the back to see the profits. Seeing the big bag full of money, she gives a wide grin to the shopkeeper and then a thumbs up.

_"Good work Hans! Hiring you finally paid off! Hahaha!"_  
The boss happily pats the shopkeeper, Hans, on the back.

_"You made the right choice Boss Anna!"_  
Hans replies to his boss.

* * *

_"Is that...__**Siesta?!**__ What is she doing with those men?!"_  
On the way back to the academy, Robin had spotted Siesta being transported to places unknown by a concierge of guards, guarding the coach that Siesta was in.

Louise sees the emblem on the side of the coach.  
"It's Count Mott! He must've bought Siesta's contract from the academy! He's notorious for purchasing maids and making them his...'playthings'."

Louise's rather disgusted tone at the last part prompted Robin to decide to help out Siesta. She was a friend after all!  
_"Hey Louise, I think we need to make one more stop before we head back."_

Meanwhile, up above the sky, two girls spotted someone below them.  
_"Hey, aren't those Louise and Robin?"  
_

* * *

_**Author's notes**_

Welcome to another update!

I've started to use my old format, but improved it. What do you guys think? Should I stick with this or paragraphs and speech seperate?

Anyhow, attempted to portray Kirche with a confused sexuality: is she straight or bi?!

Also, yes, the shopkeeper's boss near the end is the Anna of this world, apparently red haired merchants are also rampant throughout Halkeginia, but Robin has yet to discover them.

Finally, Tiki's one night stand is non-canonical if anyone hasn't unlocked her convos yet, I just felt it was amusing that she'd experiment on her sexuality sometime in her life like any normal person does.

Boy this chapter sounded rather fanservice-y dontcha think? =D

Anyway see you next time, post a review and tell me what you think!  
Thanks in advance!


	5. Chapter 5

**_Disclaimer:_** I do not own Familiar of Zero or the Fire Emblem Series. This is merely a work of fan fiction - for fun only! All characters belong to their respective owners!

* * *

Siesta accepted her fate, she was a mere commoner after all, passed around by nobles like an object. Riding a carriage towards Count Mott's estate, all she could do was wait. She was grateful to headmaster Osmond for arguing on her behalf, and for trying to keep her within the academy. It felt like a second home to her, although ordered around by nobles all the time, she met fellow commoners who befriended her. There were also nobles who treated her more nicely such as Louise and Robin.

Her family was unique among commoners, having black hair, different facial structure and weird customs that were unheard of. Her grandfather had told her that their family originated from a land beyond the barbarian wastes of Rub'al kali, but she had heard from her grandmother that HER great great grandfather came from another world. It sounded like such a fantastic tale, but regardless, she was going to spend the rest of her days as Mott's slave. Maids in there were said to be shells of their former selves after Mott was done with them.

Upon reaching the gate, she looks out and regrets how she didn't say goodbye to her friends. She believed having no goodbyes was better than having a sad one, at least she didn't see their sad faces. She remembers Robin's world, where commoners and nobles were treated like equals. She longed for a world like that, to live with her friends peacefully, but it was just a dream in the end.

* * *

_"Are we really going to bust Siesta out of Mott's estate?! He's the royal treasurer!"_  
Louise warns her friend of the consequences of trifling with such a powerful man.  
_"Maybe we can negotiate with him?"_  
Louise suggests, hoping Mott would be in a generous mood today.

_"We're busting someone outta that place partner? A normal person would call it crazy! I take it you have a plan though? I don't want to end up from some dusty old shop to a smelly and damp dungeon!"_  
Robin's new talking sword voices his opinion in the matter. He was right, breaking in there might just put them in a dungeon. The sword had also asked Robin to strap him to her back, rather than her waist, he just preferred it that way.  
_"Don't worry Derf, I don't plan on living out the rest of my life in some fat noble's dungeon."_  
She reassures her sword as she looks at the manor. Louise and Robin looked at the mansion from a distance behind some hills.

'_Damn pig, he acts like a brigand and he dares call himself a noble?! What a joke!'_  
Robin tells herself as she clenches her fist. She needed a way to get Siesta out peacefully however. If they break her out, Mott will just enlist the soldiers to take Siesta back and get both of us in trouble.  
'_I don't want to drag Louise in this mess either, she still has a life ahead of her!'_  
Considering both her friends she weighed out their options.

Option one was the riskiest, busting Siesta out by force and escaping into the night and hiding her in the academy.  
Eventually Mott will find out anyway and take Siesta back, plus get her and Louise in trouble. She crosses that option out.

Option two was pleading with Mott's good graces. Maybe he wasn't such a greedy man, or maybe he was in a good mood. Fat chance - She had heard from Louise that Mott was a rather greedy individual.

Robin had to think of a third option fast, before Mott breaks Siesta. As she loses herself in thought, suddenly a familiar face pops out literally out of nowhere and greets her.

_"Hey Robin! Hey Zero! Fancy meeting you two here!"_  
Of all people to randomly meet, it was Kirche and Tabitha, who had her familiar along - a blue rhyme dragon named Sylphid.

_"Zerbst?! Why are you here?! Have you been following us again you cow?!"_  
Louise replies to Kirche's greeting as she glared at her rival furiously.  
_"You plan on taking Robin away when I'm not looking and force yourself on her, __**you damn bisexual cow?!**__"_  
Louise adds as she remembers what Kirche had nearly done to Robin last night, her powerful familiar helpless against Kirche's sexual onslaught. She still couldn't believe that Kirche swung both ways!

_"I wanted to make amends for what I did last night. I wasn't really familiar with Robin yet, and I heard you two were going to town today, so I got Tabitha to help me observe you two. I thought by watching you two, I could have an idea on what kind of present was suitable for Robin."_  
Kirche takes out a large ornate wooden case and presents it to Robin. The red head opens the box revealing a familiar sight - the bejewelled sword from the shop!

_"Wow Kirche, this thing cost a fortune! You really shouldn't have! And I've already forgiven you last night!"_  
Robin, not wanting to offend Kirche's genuine attempt to earn forgiveness, takes the sword, not telling her the uselessness of such a weapon in actual combat. As she receives the box however, she notices a strange glint in Kirche's eyes.

_"That's it! Maybe we can trade this to get Siesta back!"_  
Robin happily proclaims while looking at the box.

_"Siesta? You mean that black haired maid from the academy got picked by Count Mott? How terrible! That man's a disgrace to his position!"_  
Kirche shares her disgust at Mott. She had also heard of what happens to Mott's maids after a day or two in his mansion, that they all strangely ended up as husks of their former selves. Mott must have done something terrible to them.

_"...strange."_  
Tabitha adds. She was a quiet person, but she listens to the news and rumours around her, and one was Mott and his maids. They acted rather strangely after staying there for a day, the other nobles visiting his place had said.

_"And we plan on using this to get her back. I hope you won't get offended Kirche."_  
Robin thoughtfully tells Kirche what she is about to do to her lavish gift.

_"I don't mind really, it's yours Robin. Getting a maid out of that pig's clutches would be a service to the land! And I wouldn't want to see such a gift go to waste because zero blew it up!"_  
Kirche approves of Robin's plan, throwing in a small insult to Louise as the opportunity arose.

**_"HMPH!"_**  
Louise merely turns away in disgust at Kirche's jab at her. With her gift, they had a chance of getting Siesta out peacefully. She was grateful, however she was also a Vallière, so she refused to thank a Von Zerbst.

_"...opportunist."_  
Tabitha says while looking at Kirche, rather accusingly.

Kirche pondered what Tabitha said and then ended up flustered and embarrassed.  
_"N...no! I told you it's not like that Tabitha! It's just a peace offering to her!"_

_"...__**you damn bisexual cow!**__"_  
Louise once again stares angrily at her rival.

_"Hey! Friends of yours partner? Why dontcha introduce me?"_  
Derflinger cuts into the conversation.

_"A talking sword? I've never seen or heard of that kind of thing before!"_  
Kirche voices her surprise at the sentient sword, as she went around Robin analysing it.

_"Curious..."_  
Tabitha was also amazed by the sword. She had read hundreds upon thousands of books, but she had never heard of a sentient sword.

_"Ah Kirche, Tabitha, this is Derflinger, or Derf for short. Derf, these are Kirche and Tabitha, they come from the same academy as us. We got Derf from the same shop you bought the bejewelled sword from."_  
Robin telling the two how they obtained Derflinger.

_"In any case we need to hurry and get Siesta out of there ASAP!"_  
Robin tells them, as she briefs them in the plan. She didn't want to drag Kirche and Tabitha into trouble either so she had to modify the plans a bit.

* * *

_"Wohoho, this guy is loaded! His house is a palace!"_  
Derflinger comments on Mott's estate as Louise and Robin - who was carrying the ornate wooden box - neared the gate.  
Kirche and Tabitha watched hidden in the nearby hills, their job was to

_"Derf! You have to stay quiet while were in there! I don't want Mott to covet you too, I'm certainly not giving up a magic talking sword."_  
Robin tells Derf as she taps his hilt. She grew attached to the sentient sword, and felt that she could call it a friend. Losing him to Mott was definitely not acceptable.  
_"Alright partner, I'll shut my yap. Just let me know when were in the clear again!"_  
Derflinger replies before falling silent.

_"You don't know the Count, but I'm a Vallière, so he'll show some respect at least. Let me do the talking."_  
Louise tells Robin. The Vallière's name was famous among Tristania as a staunch supporter of it's royalty, made even more prevalent by the family's current matron and Louise's mother, Karin, who had also served in the army in her youth, where she earned her runic name Heavy Wind. Louise was proud of her mother and she demanded respect when people started talking about her when she's nearby.

Reaching the gate and it's two guards, they both stop In front of the massive gate as Louise speaks.  
_"I am Louise le Blanç de la Vallière, and I seek an audience with Count Mott. "_

The two guards, who were strangely covering their faces with their visors - at night - and were still as statues, seemingly ignores her. Robin took note of them, they looked as if they were statues. They felt rather...inhuman.

_"How dare you ignore me you damn guard dogs! If you do not let us in this instant I will have you two sent to the dungeons!"_  
Louise angrily threatens the two knights, who were just still and silent. Moments later however, they moved, opening the gate and making way for the two women.  
_"That's much better!"_  
Louise tells the guards as she and her companion walk into the compound.

Upon entering Mott's manor however, they were surprised and creeped out at the dark atmosphere. It was dimly lit, with red drapes covering the windows, the moon's rays penetrating them slightly, showing an eerie reddish light.

_"Welcome! Welcome to my abode! Please take a seat!"_  
A tall moustachioed man who wore a golden robe appeared coming out of a door at the back. This was Count Mott.  
_"Why were you seeking me at this hour miss Vallière?"_  
The Count asks Louise in a rather condescending tone that made it look he was superior to her, and it felt rather annoying to hear. He had also purposely ignored Robin, which ticked her of a little.

Louise ignoring his tone and the creepy atmosphere, sits down as does Robin, and the count does the same.  
_"A maid named Siesta from the academy was sent here Count Mott, we want to buy her contract from you with this."_  
Louise signals Robin, prompting her to open the ornate wooden box revealing the expensive bejewelled sword.

Surprisingly, the Count looks at it boringly and averts his gaze.  
_"I believe you are mistaken miss Vallière, there are no such maids here with that name, and I haven't procured any maids from the academy."_  
Mott smirks at the two while telling them their alleged mistake.

_"But we saw her enter the manor by carriage not long ago! She's here!"_  
Louise tells the Count what she had seen earlier. They definitely saw her travel by carriage, she was the only black haired maid she ever knew !

The count's mocking expression then turned to that of anger.  
_"I believe you should be leaving now miss Vallière. Or are you accusing me of lying?..."_

_"Louise, I think we should rethink our strategy for the moment. Something's not right here..."_  
Robin shares her unease with Louise as they head out the door, Louise still a bit creeped out by Mott's expression.

**_"HELP ME! ANYONE PLEASE HELP ME!"_**

Robin and Louise hear a familiar voice from where the Count had come from earlier. This voice was definitely Siesta's, and she was in trouble!

_"Th...that's nothing but one of the maids causing trouble! Now go!"_  
Mott suddenly felt nervous as he also heard the voice.

_"That's Siesta! You lied to us Mott!"_  
Robin could not contain her anger at the so called noble anymore.

_"What is the meaning of this Count?!"_  
Louise shared the same anger at the Count's deception.

Setting the ornate box down, Robin and Louise rush to the door the Count came from. The Count tried to stop them but was shoved aside by Robin. In it the found a rather surprising site.

The place was massive. It looked like a dungeon that was turned into some kind of temple for a cult. The same kind of guards they saw outside were stationed around the place, and numerous hooded people were scattered about chanting inaudibly. And in a corner in shackles was Siesta, who was about to be marked by a red hot brand.

Robin shot an ice bolt at the hooded person that was about to brand Siesta, freezing him whole. Robin and Louise jump down to Siesta's side and free her from her shackles.

_"Robin! Louise! Thank the founder you're here!"_  
Siesta was overjoyed at the sight of her friends.  
_"Mott is a member of the Cult of Brimir! The rumours about him were false! The maids he take in are branded by that symbol, and their free will is taken away from them! They're the hooded people! He even did it to his guards!"_

_"A mind control spell?! The Cult of Brimir?! Unforgivable! I'll see Mott hanged for this!"_  
Louise angrily declares to her friends.

The guards turn to face them, as does the numerous hooded figures who were the maids.

_"We need to get out of..."_  
Before Robin could finish her sentence, Mott comes through the same door they came in.

_"Oh nono, you're not going anywhere ladies. You should have left when you had the chance. It might be troublesome for a Vallière to disappear here, that wench Karin will most definitely cause me trouble. In the long run though, that foolish wench will fall before the Cult, as will Halkeginia when the time comes!"_  
The Count triumphantly announces as he orders his slaves to converge on the three women.

_"What...did..you..call..my...mother?..."_  
Louise trembles, wand at hand, clenching both her fists.  
**_"WHAT DID YOU CALL MY MOTHER YOU FILTHY PIG?!"_**  
Louise shouts out angrily as she points her wand at Mott. Her mother may be strict, but she loved and idolised her mother more than anything in the world, and this dog dare insult her mother in her face?!

**_"EXPLOSION!"_**  
Louise casts her spell at Mott with much ferocity, shaking the mansion and producing a massive puff of smoke.

* * *

_"What in the founder's name was that?!"_  
Kirche exclaims, as she hears a loud explosion coming from Mott's manor, and puffs of smoke appearing from the numerous windows afterwards.

_"Trouble."_  
Tabitha signals Kirche to get on Sylphid as they fly towards the manor to see what was going on.

On the way, Tabitha notices a small regiment of knights headed to Mott's manor...

* * *

_"*cough* Good job Louise! *cough*"_  
Robin compliments Louise as she coughs from the smoke. Louise's impulsive action had inadvertently cleared an escape path. The Count was knocked down from the stairs onto some of the guards, and the rest of the cultists and guards were knocked down from the explosion. The smoke had also given them visual cover from the guards who didn't get knocked down.  
Being unarmed, they let Siesta get out first, as Louise, then Robin followed.

Unfortunately however, Mott managed to get up, and with his water magic, washed away most of the smoke.  
_"You Vallière brat! __**TAKE THIS!**__"_  
Mott waves his wand and summons four spears of ice, all directed at Louise, aiming to kill her!

The stairs offered Louise no protection and no room to dodge to either. It looked like Louise was about to be skewered by at least one of those spears.

**_"Louise!"_**  
With no time to counter the spell, Robin threw herself in front of Louise, covering her with her robe, as she puts her back against the incoming spears.

_"No Robin! Those spears will kill you! Leave me!"_  
Louise protests to her friend as she attempts to use her body to shield Louise.

Robin just smiles at Louise.  
_"Isn't the familiar's duty to guard the master?"_  
She calmly tells Louise as she braces herself to receive the attack.

_"Partner! Let me handle this!"_  
Derflinger suddenly proclaims from behind Robin. Forcing himself out of his sheathe, he intercepts Mott's attack, and to everyone's surprise, absorbs the spears of ice as he glowed, flaking off the rust covering his blade.  
He lands beside Robin and chuckles.  
_"How was that partner?!"_

_"You talk AND you absorb magic? Derf I could kiss you!"_  
Robin praises her sword, full of surprises, as it saves her and Louise.  
The pinkette breathes a sigh if relief as she sees Robin unscathed.

The hypnotised cultists and guardsmen had already gotten up by then however. There was no time to celebrate as Robin picked up Derf in one hand and Louise in the other and continued to run out of the dungeon.

* * *

Siesta ran out of the room as fast as she could. When she turned around however, her two saviours were nowhere in sight. Worrying for their safety, Siesta picks up a sword from one of the ornamental suits of armour and prepares to go back to help her friends.  
Passed down to her family were not only customs but sword techniques that were taught to her by her parents, which in turn they learned from their parents and so on. She was accustomed to using thin, long swords, called "Katanas" by her parents, but she felt she could apply her sword skills to broadswords too, albeit with some difficulty. As she prepares to head back however, her two friends dash out of the door, closing it.

_"Thank the founder you two are fine!"_  
Siesta greets her friends as she finds out they are safe.

* * *

The three women managed to get out of the mansion, however they were greeted by around fifty or sixty guardsmen with different weapons ranging from spears, to maces and to swords, blocking their path to the gate and to freedom.  
From behind them, Mott had caught up, bringing along about 20 more armed guards and 40 cultists who were armed with daggers.

_"This is the end for you three! Hahaha! You thought you could escape me, you foolish bitches!"_  
Mott proclaims and insults them, believing to have won.  
_"Leave none of them alive!"_  
He orders his followers to kill the three women, and Mott's small army converges on them like ants, surrounding them on all sides.

'_This is bad, were surrounded and outnumbered! I need to think of a plan!'_  
Robin analyses the situation, there was no escape but the gates, which was blocked by a high concentration of guardsmen. Looking at her surroundings, a small hill catches the tactician's eye.

_"How good are you with a sword Siesta?"_  
Robin asks Siesta, as they all three put their backs against each other.

_"I can fight! My parents taught me how to use a sword!"_  
Siesta replies confidently .

_"This doesn't look good..."_  
Louise says as she points her wand out.

_"We're In a pinch here partner! Hope you got a plan!"_  
The sentient sword adds his words to the discussion.

_"I have a plan! See that hill over there? We have to fight our way there!"_  
Robin commands the two, assuring them they'll be alright.  
_"There's not much of then at that side, let's use that opening!"_  
She exclaims as they successfully fight through their enemies.

Reaching the hill, they know had their backs against a wall. Still a disadvantage, it was a lot less so than being surrounded by enemies.  
Being the most experienced, Robin would take the front lines as the vanguard and with Derf, she could defend them against Mott if he intervened. Siesta would intercept any enemies that might get past Robin and finally Louise, situated on top of the hill, would rain down her spells freely as the other two defended her. With higher ground, she could easily aim anywhere, free from retaliation.

Mott's followers start the assault as Robin took them head on. Her runes glowing, and with both sword and magic, she made quick work of her enemies. Using the frost spell, Fimbulvetr, she froze some of the guards at the front, turning them into an obstacle for the oncoming enemies.  
She knew they were merely being controlled by Mott so she took care not to land any fatal blows , instead disarming them and knocking them out.

Remembering Derf's ability to absorb magic, she decided to experiment. She casts her frost spell on Derf this time, and as the sword was in the middle of absorbing the spell, Robin swung Derf at the nearest enemy sword. The result was an explosion of ice, which froze an area around her, catching numerous enemies in frost.  
_"I'll give you full marks partner for originality partner! I've never been used like that before!"_  
Derf exclaims as Robin's experiment was a success.

Derf absorbed magic at a certain rate and not instantaneously, the more powerful the spell, the longer it takes to absorb. As Derf absorbs the magic however, he obtains an enchanting effect, being temporarily enchanted by the spell he is currently absorbing.

As the fight went on, a straggler managed to get past Robin to try and stop Louise, who was freely casting explosions everywhere. However, Siesta intercepts the guard and engages him in combat. With considerable speed and skill, she dodges, parries and counter attacks. Her lack of strength she made up for with speed and skill. The sword skills passed down her family had at last been of great use as she knocks out the guard and readies herself for another.

_**"DIE VALLIÈRE!"**_  
Mott prepares to cast his ice spears again at Louise, with her two friends distracted, he believes he could finally end her life.

Louise however, holding the higher ground, spotted him immediately before even pointing his wand at her. His insult of her mother still fresh in her mind, she glares daggers at him as she pre-emptively casts a counter attack at the Count.  
**_"EXPLOSION!"_**  
Louise casts her spell, which not only hit Mott, but around 6 others as well, as Mott's spell dissipated.

The three women panted heavily as they surveyed their surroundings. It looked like a battlefield, craters, broken weapons and unconscious people scattered about. They had managed to hold off against the small army and won.

"Good work you two!"  
Robin praises her comrades, as they decide to rest a bit before heading out. The two nod in acknowledgement as they sit.

_"I didn't know you were skilled with a sword Siesta! You're style seems strangely familiar..."_  
Robin caught glimpses of Siesta's fighting style, though still unrefined, was similar to that of a myrmidon, a master of the sword, back in her world.

_"I was taught by my parents, they learnt in from their parents and so on."_  
Siesta replies as she wipes the sweat off her forehead.

_"You're aim's getting better Louise, and I've never seen you cast explosions as many or as powerful before!"_  
Robin tells Louise as she tiredly sits on the ground still panting.

_"*huff*...I didn't know...*huff*... I had that much energy!...*huff*"_  
Louise could barely finish her sentence as she lies down on the ground.

_"That was amazing partner! It's been a long time since I've been in a fight like that!"_  
The sentient sword was rather happy being used in battle once more, as judging from all the rust, he had been in that store for quite a while.

_"Heh...I've been in bigger fights than that Derf! Anyway we should get going before these gua...**URGHH!**"_  
Before she could finish her sentence, Robin was assaulted by spears of ice, one piercing her shoulder and the other one grazing her hand, as it knocks Derf away from her.

**_"Robin!"_**  
Her two friends try to come and aid her, only to be attacked themselves. Siesta manages to defend herself but gets knocked down, while Louise was grazed by one of the spears by her leg, forcing her down.

_"You three...have caused me so much trouble...I think I'll kill you all slowly, starting with you, you meddlesome bitch!"_  
Mott had recovered and took advantage of the trio's fatigue, as he now points his wand at Robin.

**_"..AAARGH!"_**  
Robin pulls out the spear out of her shoulder as she prepares herself to fight Mott. Derf was too far away, so she had to use her magic instead.

_"You don't know when to quit Mott, why don't you just follow your servants' examples and stay down, you're gonna give yourself a heart attack."_  
Robin smirks as she mocks her foe.

Psychological warfare. Provoking an enemy by infuriating him, lowering his defences an forcing them to attack recklessly. Using any advantage she could get, Robin utilises this tactic.

**_"YOU INSOLENT BITCH! HOW DARE YOU!"_**  
Mott launches eight spears at Robin. Rage taking over his senses, he ignores his stamina as he casts a spell that takes considerable energy.

Robin's runes glow once again, and a familiar surge of energy courses through her.  
_"Count Mott..."_  
She readies her spells...  
**_"...You're finished!"_**  
Robin lets out a barrage of flame to counter the spears, melting them and dousing the count in water. The Count tries to counter attack but finds himself short of breath as he had used a tremendous amount of energy on his earlier attack. He is then subsequently hit by a bolt of lightning, it's power amplified by himself being doused in water. He falls down, unconscious and defeated.

_"Nicely done partner!"_  
Derf compliments Robin as she walks to him. Robin picks up Derflinger and puts him back in his sheathe.  
_"Are you two alright?"_  
She asks her friends, who had just gotten up.

_"I'm fine, but Louise has a wounded leg.."_  
Siesta replies to Robin, telling her of Louise's condition.

_"Don't worry! The spell only grazed me see?"_  
Louise shows her friends as she stands up without a limp.  
_"How about you Robin? You took one in your shoulder!"_  
Louise worriedly reminds her friend of the hit she took.

_"I'm used to having injuries like this. Don't worry about it. Still I might need to bandage it up soon or I'll get an infection.."_  
Robin replies but soon after, Kirche and Tabitha arrive on Sylphid's back.

_"Are you three fine there?! What happened?!"_  
Kirche shouts out as she sees the three bruised and dirtied, but overall fine.

_"Don't worry! Were all fine! We might need a healer though!"_  
Robin replies.

The gate is suddenly smashed open as a regiment of knights pour forth, rounding up the unconscious Mott and his followers.

_"We saw these knights on the way here by the way! We decided to join up with them."_  
Kirche informs her friends of the regiment of knights she and Tabitha spotted earlier on the way. The two get off of Sylphid, and Tabitha starts healing the three.

On horseback, a woman with short blonde hair came up to the five reunited friends. Judging by her clothes and mannerisms, she was in charge of these knights. She also reminded Robin of Sully, a tomboyish cavalier woman from her world.

_"Pardon me ladies, my name is Agnes Chevalier de Milan, I oversee the operations of these knights in service of the crown. They were investigating odd reports about the Count, so I came here myself to check out these reports, instead I find an explosion within the Count's manor, two ladies flying overhead on their rhyme dragon asking for help and now this. Mind explaining to me what happened?"_  
The female knight inquires about what exactly had transpired from the small group of women. The place looked exactly like a battlefield, fortunately no casualties were reported.

As Tabitha finishes healing the three with her water magic, Robin steps up to the lady knight known as Agnes and tries to explain the situation.  
_"Firstly, let us introduce ourselves. My name is Robin of Ylisse, this is Louise Vallière, this maid is Siesta of Tarbes, this is Kirche Von Zerbst and finally this is Tabitha and her dragon Sylphid. This might take a while to explain good lady knight, please bear with me..."_  
Robin tells Agnes, clearing her throat. She goes on to explain how they tried to barter with the Count to save Siesta, ended up discovering his secret and fighting against him and his guards.

_"The three of you managed to fend off that many and the Count without killing anyone? Not bad at all! But miss Vallière, please take care of yourself better, the princess would be devastated to hear something happened to you."_  
Agnes was rather impressed with them, and tells Louise to take better care of herself, as Louise nods.

_"Unfortunately, the crown cannot acknowledge what you did and what you had discovered. This information must be kept secret, if word comes out that one of our officials was involved with the Cult of Brimir, unease and chaos would befall the kingdom. I cannot offer you anything but my gratitude. I apologise."_  
Agnes tells the girls that what happened here must be a secret. She felt sorry that they could not be rewarded for their efforts after they had just risked their lives.

_"I understand Sir Agnes, if this information must be kept under wraps then so be it. If the princess requests an audience about this matter, then we will comply immediately."_  
Robin replies to Agnes formally, surprising Agnes.

Her answer was more like a high ranking officer's, like she was something like a general. The young woman's understanding and sincerity put a smile to the lady knight's face.  
_"Thank you for your understanding milady, if there is any trouble at all please do not hesitate to ask me. I was merely inspecting these knights today, I have to go back to the princess' side. It was merely by chance that we met here. Please head back to the academy and we will clean up here. Farewell and take care miladies, now if you will excuse me..."_  
Agnes excuses herself from the girls, as she turns around to supervise the knights.

_"Let's head back to the academy shall we?"_  
Robin tells her friends, as Kirche and Tabitha ride Sylphid, and Louise and Robin call for their horses, Siesta riding with Robin.

_"Why were you so quiet back there anyway Derf?"_  
Robin asks Derflinger, as he was unnaturally quiet after the battle.

_"Zzzzz..."  
'So I guess talking swords also sleep huh?...'_  
Robin laughingly asks herself as they head back to the academy.  
Those symbols at Mott's however, she thought, were strange...

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Mott's...  
_"Huh? What's this?"_  
Agnes discovers an ornate wooden box. She opens it and to her surprise discovers a bejewelled sword!  
'_Hmm...isn't this the sword the girls used to Barter with Mott? Regardless however, this belongs to the crown as evidence now...still...maybe I can trade this for one of those new weapons...muskets as they call them...I'm sure the girls wouldn't mind seeing as they just left it here...'_  
Agnes thinks to herself as she picks up the box with a smirk on her face.

* * *

**_Author's notes_**

Well managed to finish this chap after having that copy-paste fiasco that deleted those whole chapter.

Another chapter with fights. Siesta is a myrmidon yes, and the secret origin of Agnes' musket(lol). I guess after all that's happened, an expensive sword is the last thing on their minds.

I know Agnes should be introduced later on, but decided to change it up. The Cult is different from the church is different as I'll explain next chapter.

Reviews and comments are appreciated. Until next time!

* * *

**_Ninja edit!_** - Managed to get on my comp and edit all the chapters, corrected a lot of typos, added genuine page breaks, improved the structures and changed very minor details. I used to post my chaps on my iphone before but found it rather frustrating and time consuming. Hail the ease of computer editing!


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